the DON JONES INDEX…
	GAINS POSTED in GREEN LOSSES POSTED in RED 3/13/26… 15,550.50 3/6/26… 15,584.64 6/27/13... 15,000.00
(THE DOW JONES INDEX: 3/13/26... 46,677.85; 3/6/26... 49,499.20; 6/27/13… 15,000.00)

LESSON for FRIDAY, MARCH 13th, 2026 – “ROYALLY FLUSHED!”

“For it’s one, two, three – what are we fighting for?

“Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn... next stop is Tey-hey-ran...”

– in memorium: “Country” Joe McDonald (Jan. 1, 1942 – March 7. 2026)

A timeline of last Wednesday, Day Six, from l’UNION SARDA in Italy, followed our first day of the new week from the morning defeat of “the Democratic-backed resolution to halt the U.S. military campaign” to Israel’s evening raids on Beirut (which would escalate through the week – ATTACHMENT ONE).

Late Wednesday afternoon, the international shipping industry officially designated the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf as "areas of warfare." In a phone call with the New York Post at suppertime, an hour later. President Trump called Spain a "loser" and said that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer should support the US campaign against Iran "no questions asked."

"We have a lot of winners, but Spain is a loser, and the United Kingdom has been very disappointing," Trump said

Nor did Prime Minister Meloni... ostensibly a “conservative” Trump ally... much inspire the Yanks. She explained that Italy "intends to send air defense aid to the Gulf countries" and also to Cyprus, but "we are not at war and we do not want to be involved."

One of those killed alongside the Supreme Ruler on Saturday was the chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)... killers of thousand of street protesters only days before... and Yahoo News (March 6^th, ATTACHMENT TWO) reported that the new enforcer-in-chief, Ahmad Vahidi, faced a delicate balance between suppressing protest and “saving Iran from civil war.”

As anxious Iranians waited to learn who their next master and commander would be, potential sore losers were being deterred from insurrection by Vahidi’s quarter century tenure as commander of the Quds Force, “the IRGC’s external operations (i.e. terrorist) arm” where he “was instrumental in building up Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza and Iraqi and Syrian militias.”

This, of course, has earned him a slice of spicy spotting among Israelis. On Thursday, the IRGC warned that any “terrorist or separatist activity” would be “suffocated in the cradle” and threatened “destruction” for anyone invading Iran.

“Enemies and deceived counter-revolutionary elements should know ... that if they commit evil against Iran, they will [face] complete destruction,” an IRGC spokesman said.

In perhaps a harder task than reining in the bloodthirty Quds, Vahidi will now also have to deal with Ali Larijani, Iran’s national security council secretary (and one of those seeking the higher, ultimate office), who also warned that any American ground invasion would result in “thousands killed and captured”.

“Some American officials have said they intend to enter Iran by land with a few thousand forces,” Mr Larijani said. “The brave children of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei are waiting for you to disgrace those wicked American officials with several thousand killed and captured. The land of Iran is not a place for the dance of devils.”

But Yahoo declared Vahidi up to the task of dealing with internal as well as external enemies. During the nationwide 2022 protests, when Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the interior minister, defended security forces shooting protesters in the head by saying “well, shooting at the legs was also done”, Mr Vahidi backed the approach.

So, Yahoo ventured, if the assembly of experts, the body in charge of selecting Iran’s next supreme leader, “fractures over succession” – with clerics unable to agree on a new head – “the IRGC could impose Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Khamenei’s second son, through military force.”

Unlike Qasem Soleimani, who became a public face of the Quds Force, “Mr Vahidi has always operated in the shadows. This is his speciality... (w)hether through extraordinary luck or skill at avoiding bombs, he possesses the primary qualification the regime needs: the ability to be alive when everyone else is dead.”

THE ELECTORAL PROCESS

Formally, the decision now rests with Iran's Assembly of Experts, the powerful clerical body tasked with selecting the country's supreme leader. In practice, however, the outcome will almost certainly emerge from a much smaller circle: senior clerics, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the security establishment that has long underpinned the Islamic Republic's power structure.

As gamblers flocked to Polymarket and local bookies to lay down money on Iran’s next dictator, CBS (March fifth, ATTACHMENT THREE) designated Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's second son, as the leading contender for the top job.

"The deep state in the Islamic Republic wants continuity," Georgetown University professor and Iran expert Mehran Kamrava said in an interview. "If Mojtaba indeed is chosen as his father's successor, it would indicate more than anything else that the Islamic Republic is trying to ensure continuity."

And while Mojtaba may be the frontrunner, he is not the only figure under discussion – so CBS tossed a few more candidates into the hummus blencer...

Ali Reza Arafi

“Another prominent name is Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a senior cleric deeply embedded within Iran's religious institutions. Arafi serves on both the Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts and has spent years overseeing Iran's influential network of seminaries in Qom.”

Sadeq Larijani

Anther potential candidate is Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, “a former judiciary chief and member of one of Iran's most powerful political families.”

Hasan Khomeini

The grandson of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini also commands respect among clerics and in reformist circles “though his relatively moderate reputation could make him a difficult choice for Iran's hardline establishment.”

Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri 

Hardline cleric Mirbagheri has also been floated as a possible contender “due to his ideological alignment with the most conservative factions within Iran's political system.”

NDTV – India (March 7, ATTACHMENT FOUR) added a few more names, venturing that political power in Iran “is carefully distributed among a series of councils, commanders, clerics and civilians. Some are elected, some appointed, but all must jostle for influence under the leader's oversight - and now lobby for their preferred successor.”

Ali Larijani, third at CBS (above) was chosen as NDTV’s top choice because he “has the ear of leaders” of the IRGC (who have a reputation for taking ears, fingers, genitals and lives of those whom they distrust).

Next came his brother Sadeq, not on the CBS list, a cleric who “served as chief justice and sat on key bodies like the Guardian Council - which reviews legislation and approves candidates - and the Expediency Discernment Council - which resolves disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council.”

President Masoud Pezeshkian ranks third “now that he's on the three-person interim council running the country in the absence of a supreme leader.” But as a reformer, his chances declined.

Next came Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei (#4) described as a “hardline cleric appointed by the supreme leader (who) had been Khamenei's enforcer,” tasked with rooting out "soft subversion" by arresting academics and researchers. 

Arafi, the third and final person on the interim council (and #2 at CBS) finished fifth with Mojtaba Khamenei sixth and Hassan Khomeini seventh (both downgraded due to “the Islamic Republic's ostensible objections to hereditary rule.” Bringing up the rear were Parliament Speaker and former Tehran Mayor Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, Vahidi (above), foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and Chair of the Assembly of Experts Ali Movahedi-Kermani. Mirbagheri (above) and Ahmad Khatami were also mentioned/

Al Jazeera first explained the origins, policies and quirks of the 88 Experts who elect a Supreme Leader every eight years or as necessary... themelves appointed by the existing S.L. The only other early transfer of power occurred after Khomeini senior died in 1989 – replaced by Khameini senior.

Luciano Zaccara, a research associate professor in Gulf politics at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that Iran’s political system has been prepared for the current situation, knowing that Khamenei’s assassination (or age-related expiration) was a real possibility.

“Trump wants to get the best deal possible, but the method he’s using to get that deal is to annihilate or destroy as much as he can,” Zaccara said. “This is the way to impose conditions, not to negotiate anything. Trump wants a surrender of the regime, not a change.”

But he got change.

Prior to the change, the Jazzies ranked Mojtaba Khameini as top choice, the heredity problem notwithstanding. Then, in order, came Arafi, Mirbagheri, Mohseni-Ejei and Khomeini.

The Middle East Forum (ATTACHMENT SIX) opined that Iranians (meaning the ruling hardliners) will “no longer accept a moderate Islamic Republic, while the regime’s “reformers” are yesterday’s hardliners. Yet this futile idea has united an unlikely coalition of believers that spans from President Donald Trump to the mainstream press to the progressive left.”

Amidst the majority on the dictatorial bench, the term “pragmatist” is now seen as an insult... a certain indicator of lack of qualifications for the post of Supreme Leader.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ruled Iran for two centuries – focused on Unlike his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, Stanford University historian Abbas Milani writes, Khamenei was not a religious scholar but a political activist cleric. He translated four of Muslim Brotherhood theorist Sayyid Qutb’s books, all of which denounce Jews and Israel, was one of the founders of the Combatant Clergy Society and legitimized the regime’s foreign policy.

His frequent purges of dissenting (and even insufficiently rabid) clerics favored “a rotating cast of characters in the regime. Presidents, prime ministers (before the office was dissolved), and speakers of the parliament usually retired into obscurity if they were obedient; he had the regime security apparatus persecute them if they were not.”

“I would not pretend to be a constitutional scholar when it comes to Iran,” penned Jim Geraghty of the old-line right wing National Review, “and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini is just about the last expert I would cite on anything, other than how to have a disastrous funeral, but,” he added in advance of the Expert’s selection (March 9^th, ATTACHMENT SEVEN) his instructions in 1970 – aimed at the Pahlavi dynasty – were that “Islam proclaims monarchy and hereditary succession wrong and invalid. . . . Islam, then, does not recognize monarchy and hereditary succession; they have no place in Islam.”

And yet, at least before the court of American media, the three most visible... if not most probable... Supreme Leader candidates were two sons of former Ayatollahs and one grandson.

Khameini Senior had bad luck in tapping successors... his first choice, Ebrahim Raisi, the elected president and favourite of Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash while his next choice, Ali Akbar Nategh Nuri, was so demolishedin the 1997 presidential election (where he won only 25% of the final vote -Yahoo News, ATTACHMENT EIGHT) that even the men with guns could not save his prospects, “various conservative Iranian groups realised the need to make changes to their structures” and so there emerged a triptych of nepotisas... Pahlevi’s son Reza, Khameini’s son Mojtada (call him Moxxie) and Khomeini, grandson Hasan (or maybe his brother Ali).

THE TEHRANI TRIO

Let’s take them in order of family rule, beginning with Pahlavi, whom News 18 of India opined was “widely seen as the most prominent figure in the opposition to the country’s Islamic Republic government.” (March 7^th, ATTACHMENT NINE)

Whether a good thing or not, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last Shah, was reported to have said that the Iranian people had “asked him to lead a political transition in the country and (so) called on Arab nations to recognise a future transitional government,” led by himself, of course, which would hand power over to somebody elected by some other means some day.

“The Iranian people have called on me to lead the transition after the regime is gone. I have accepted that responsibility," he said.

“Part of their great mandate to me is to return our nation and our foreign relations to normalcy. I will do exactly that. My commitment is to ensure the transition is orderly, the country is stabilized, and Iranians determine their future through the ballot box. Iranians have made their choice — at an enormous price. Now I ask our friends in the Arab world to join us. To prepare to recognize and engage our transitional government," Pahlavi said in a video statement posted on his X account.

Born in 1960, Pahlavi has lived in exile since the 1979 revolution and has emerged as a prominent voice within the Iranian opposition, advocating secular governance, human rights and democratic reforms in the country. “Over time, he has portrayed himself as a symbol of change for Iranians seeking an alternative to the clerical leadership in Tehran,” NDTV opined – a ludicrous contention given the excesses of his father through the ruthless SAVAK security, predecessors to the Revolutionary Guard in practices, if not theology.

WHO SHAH DADDY?

Pahlavi, who still holds on to his title as Crown Prince has openly voiced his support for President Trump, although without much response from the White House. He has, however, pitched his case to approving nods, at least, from Fox’s “Sunday Morning Features” and subsequent conservative outlets in the United States and elsewhere in the West. (ATTACHMENT TEN)

“He said he would lead the transition,” reported Foxie Max Bacall, “which will be facilitated by a coalition of forces including people inside Iran and the country's military.”

Pahlavi estimated the transition would last for "a period that should not be longer than a couple of years at the most," then added: “This is like full decapitation of the regime, and ultimately what will expedite its total collapse. The Iranian people have suffered too much to settle for anything less than that."

Al Jazeera... now under the guns of the Supreme Leader’s arsenal in Qatar... reported that Pahlavi was viewed as the polite face of the Iranian opposition in exile – a former fighter pilot who spoke of nonviolent resistance and secular democracy from his home in the United States.

But this weekend, the tone of the 65-year-old heir to the Peacock Throne and son of Iran’s last shah changed dramatically.” (Jan. 12, ATTACHMENT ELEVEN)

In a direct challenge to the Iranian government, Pahlavi called on Iranians to “seize city centres” and prepare for his imminent return, prompting what Iranian state media described as “armed terrorist attacks” across the country.

“Our goal is no longer merely to come into the streets,” Pahlavi declared in a statement released on his X account. “The goal is to prepare to seize city centres and hold them.”

(“You and what army,” the critics responded.)

Pahlavi asked supporters to hoist the pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” flag, a symbol of his father’s rule, and to occupy public spaces

The response from Tehran has been furious. On Sunday, state-affiliated media outlets labelled the protests as a “new phase of insecurity” and an “internal armed war”.

Officials have linked Pahlavi’s escalation to foreign interference, specifically accusing the US and Israel. They claimed the unrest is a “Plan B” by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the conclusion of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in May last year.

‘OPPOSITION AGAINST THE OPPOSITION’?

While Pahlavi has found renewed popularity on the streets, he faces sharp criticism from within the fractured Iranian opposition.

Alireza Nader, an Iran expert, argued in a recent article that Pahlavi’s political activities have become divisive. Critics accuse his circle of attacking other prominent dissidents, such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, labelling them “leftists” or “terrorists”.

“Pahlavi has doubled down on his advisors despite others’ unease about them,” Nader wrote, questioning whether the prince has become “the opposition against the opposition”.

There are also concerns about manipulation. Nader noted that Pahlavi’s online support is partly driven by cyber-armies linked to the Iranian government, designed to sow discord, raising questions about “who is co-opting whom”.

Also before the selection (and as Pahlavi, Khameini, Khomeini and lesser darksiders were still vying for support of the Experts), Axios (Feb. 28^th, ATTACHMENT TWELVE) continued his brown-nosing of Trump after the strike that took out Khameini Senior and dozens of his minions.

"The assistance that the President of the United States had promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived," Pahlavi posted in a video statement. "This is a humanitarian intervention, and its target is the Islamic Republic, its apparatus of repression, and its machinery of killing—not the country and great nation of Iran."

Pahlavi called for Trump "to exercise the utmost possible caution to preserve the lives of civilians and my compatriots. The people of Iran are your natural allies and the allies of the free world, and they will not forget your assistance during the most difficult period of Iran's contemporary history."

“In public opinion polls run over the last few years,” Axios have collected, including as recently as November 2025, “around one-third of Iranians supported Pahlavi while another one-third strongly opposed him, according to Dutch pollster Ammar Maleki. Pahlavi's popularity exceeds that of any other Iranian opposition figure,” but still... like that of Americans like Donald Trump and his Democratic opposition... remains underwater (but Trump’s enforcers, at least, have murdered only a handful of dissidents, as opposed to the Axios tally of “some 7,000 to 30,000 Iranians.”

Pahlavi previously asked the U.S. for strikes on the "architecture of repression" — including targets related to command-and-control of the Revolutionary Guards.

Though Trump, in January repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iran killed protesters, “he delayed his decision as aides and allies like Israel expressed doubts that U.S. airstrikes would actually challenge the stability of the regime,” until he struck, and the regime struck back. Pahlavi has encouraged protesters to continue taking to the streets and "claim public spaces" as their own but, like Trump at the One Six, it seems likely that he would not join them in the streets, but, after whipping up the crowd, retire to a safe space to watch developments on television or over social media/

And, like Trump, he’s published books on his views and, on Friday, released an updated version of the Emergency Phase Booklet of his Iran Prosperity Project, which he calls a component of his strategy to reclaim and rebuild the nation.

“The booklet focuses on Iran's immediate needs in the first six months of the regime collapse — an even greater signal that Pahlavi is prepared to step in if the situation arises,” whether he is on hand, or not, during the fighting.

And the Prince has also exploited two components that President Trump has always paid attention to in the past, flattery and finance.

Pilfering the phrase pertinent to America’s power structure Pahlavi coined a variation of MAGA to propel his campaign onwards, both locally and globally... MIGA: “Make Iran Great Again”.

And there’s money to be made with Pahlavi as a partner.

“Just by a change that we hope to bring to the table, that will be probably over a trillion dollars worth of impact and revenue to the American economy, just by Iran’s market being opened to America and how much we stand to benefit from billions of dollars willing to be invested into Iran,” he told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo. “All that was needed was for this regime to no longer be there, and I think that is something that should be important to America and Iran both.” (Politico, ATTACHMENT THIRTEEN)

Pahlavi told Bartiromo that he’s working with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — who he affectionately dubbed “Uncle Lindsey” — to present his plans to a bipartisan group in the Senate.

But Johns Hopkins Professor Vali Nasr told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that he is skeptical Pahlavi actually has the bandwidth to pull off a stable leadership transition.

“Right now, he does not have a ground game in Iran, if you were to say,” Nasr said. “There’s no political organization alliances, he has not built a relationship with with bureaucrats, with politicians, etc, that actually would allow him to play a critical role at this moment in time and to have a plan for the day after essentially being able to take over the government.”

But as the saying goes, “public be damned!” Pahlavi has confidence – confidence in the people and confidence in himself, and this “confidence man” swears that his transitional government’s diplomacy will be based on "mutual respect and shared interest" rather than "exportation of ideology".

“Together, we can build a Middle East our children will be proud to inherit. Take this new path with us,” he said. (The Week of India, March 7, ATTACHMENT FOURTEEN)

Unfortunately, Iran has chosen the psycho path and while President Trump summarily dismissed chances of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei succeeding his father, neither would he follow “Uncle Lindsay” by endorsing Pahlavi, saying only that: "I think everybody's in the mix. It's very early."

While the prestigious Atlantic Council in Washington has called the former Crown Prince the most prominent face of the Iranian opposition, they also warn that he would replace one form of authoritarianism with another—the turban with a crown” and note “a quieter fault line—one that is less about capacity and more about ideology... his support for Israel.” (ATTACHMENT FIFTEEN)

Critics argue that the Iranian opposition to its parade of dictators is too fragmented to present a viable alternative. “(T)he opposition spans ideological, generational, and ethnic lines; monarchists, federalists, republicans, reformists, labor organizers, and others often share grievances,” according to the AI, but “lack Western standards of coordination.”

In explaining the history of protest in Iran over three generations, where activists, journalists, and artists are systematically oppressed and silenced, time, Time and other Western media (popular, professorial and all stripes of partisan) have noted “how the regime will resort to violence to prevent the emergence of leaders and ideas.” 

Many protesters in Iran (and the diaspora) have indeed expressed the pro-Pahlavi slogans. For some protesters, the Pahlavi-led demonstrations are about overthrowing the regime, not reinstating the monarchy. For others, the A.C. contends, it’s “a desire to reset or return to the past, a notion that some academics mock as nostalgia or retrotopia,” dismissing the memory of past achievements and perceiving the 1979 revolution as irreversible. “The prominence of Pahlavi’s name does not necessarily represent a universal agreement with his political vision, nor does it imply a collective desire for monarchy. Rather, it confirms the emergence of a visible figure capable of being a transitional leader,” but still under suspicion of normalizing relations with Israel – which remains the enemy, even to enemies of the current regime.

When Pahlavi and his wife, Princess Yasmine, famously visited Israel in 2023, they put the opposition’s sensibilities regarding the Jewish state to the test. Pahlavi’s critics have been explicit with their accusations, warning about a “Israel-appointed” ruler in Iran or saying that Pahlavi lost credibility by not criticizing Israel for its twelve-day war with Iran last year. Pahlavi’s inclinations to normalize relations with Israel create discomfort among many Iranians, which is often masked in criticisms of his capacity or character.”

For the protest movement, the A.C. concludes, “the prospect of ending the Islamic Republic and enabling Iranian self-determination must also contend with unresolved grievances regarding Israel.”

After Iran News Update (ATTACHMENT SIXTEEN) reported that Pahlavi announced he had “accepted” the role of leader of Iran’s future transitional period, critics noted in Attachments above and others objected “because the role he claims to have accepted was never formally offered to him, nor has it been endorsed by any credible political coalition.”

INU called the announcement “a political paradox: accepting a position that no one proposed and that no political force has agreed to create,” as if, through song, Cab Calloway could have crowned himself the King of Sweden.

Leadership of any transitional period—particularly in a country emerging from authoritarian rule—“cannot be determined through personal declarations,” the INU dismissed Pahlavi’s claim. Instead, “it requires agreement among political forces, civil society, and representatives of the Iranian people.

“Against this backdrop, Pahlavi’s claim has been widely interpreted as a unilateral attempt to insert himself into a position of authority without the political legitimacy typically required for such a role.”

One might think that President Trump, elected Number 45 in 2016 and 47 in 2024 remains insistent upon overturning the 2020 election on his own say-so that millions of ballot were tinkered with, toyed with or disposed of.

For more than four decades since the fall of the monarchy in 1979, INU added, “Pahlavi has lived abroad in considerable comfort. His life in exile was sustained in part by wealth that originated from assets transferred out of Iran during the final days of his father’s rule.” Thus, supporters of regime change... many living in abject poverty and always having to hide from the police... may be feeling that the “remnants of the former monarchy seem primarily concerned with claiming the political fruits of a struggle they have not led.”

Atop the burdens of his life of luxury and his implied support of Israel (as above) weigh his refusal to clearly condemn the human rights abuses committed during his father’s rule.

“The monarchy of Mohammad Reza Shah was marked by political repression, censorship, and the activities of the notorious SAVAK secret police.

SAVAK (1957 – 1979) has been accused of numerous human rights abuses; shut down in the Khomeini revolution but reconstituted, under a series of different names (and often with some of the same agents – see @ncr-iran.org) causing many activists of the present to believe “Iran’s future must break not only from clerical authoritarianism but also from the authoritarian practices of the monarchy.”

The Wiki biograph of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (Senior – ATTACHMENT SEVENTEEN) highlights that the Shah (1919 – 1980) succeeded his father Reza Shah in 1941 and ruled the Imperial State of Iran until he overthrown in the Islamic Revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini, which abolished the Iranian monarchy to establish the Islamic Republic of Iran.

An insight into the regime in publications by Abbas Milani and the Shah himself who describes Reza Shah as "one of the most frightening men" he had ever known, a dominating man with a violent temper (See Attachment) who admired Hitler and believed that fathers “who showed love for their sons” caused homosexuality later in life – which, in fact, may well have been the case – as an adolescent in a Swiss school, his teacher Ernest Perron introduced him to French poetry and... well... other things, coming back with him to Tehran and becoming a considerable “behind-the-scenes power” until his death in 1961.

Growing up as a “mother’s boy” (mother Tadj ol-Molouk, was “very superstitious” according to psychologist Marvin Zonis) the Crown Prince grew up "both gentle and cruel, withdrawn and active, dependent and assertive, weak and powerful.”

Tracking the Shah through his regime, private life. marriages... Pahlavi Junior was the son of second wife Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary... and ascension to the Peacock Throne during World War II after his father incurred the wrath of the United States and Russia for supporting Germany. A deal to forestall a potentially distractive revolution was averted by putting the son on the throne in return for Senior’s political and military support – where he remained until the revolution of 1978-9, dying in exile a year later in Cairo.

Iran had been prospering economically up until the Islamist revolt with the Shah keeping hands off labor organizers and Jews, domestic and foreign, and aligning himself with left wing Libyan dictator Gaddafi while also supporting Nixon’s Vietnam War. He also led a massive military build-up and began the construction of many nuclear facilities so that by 1977, Iran was considered the fifth strongest nation in the world according to a report by Georgetown University.

Wiki reported that the overthrow “came as a surprise to almost all observers,” and began as a hit piece in the newspaper Ettela'at attacking Ruhollah Khomeini, who was in exile in Iraq, spieling sermons about government corruption; it referred to him as “a homosexual, a drug addict, and a British spy.”

The next day, protests against the article began in the city of Qom, a traditional centre of opposition to the House of Pahlavi.

After celebrating the New Year, 1978 with King Hussein of Jorday and President Jimmy Carter, Pahlevi’s health worsened and he was diagnosed with cancer where, in France, doctors gave him prednisone, a drug with numerous potential side effects including depression and impaired thinking. Enemies, discovering the Shah’s condition sparked protests and strikes while Pahlevi “became utterly passive and indecisive, content to spend hours listlessly staring into space as he rested by the Caspian Sea while the revolution raged.”

Having created a “very centralized system in which he was the key decision-maker on all issues”, the government lurched from crisis while the Shah’s volatility escalated until September 8^th, “Black Friday” when the army killed as many as a hundred and wounded two hundred more. Backtracking, Pahlevi granted a general amnesty to dissidents living abroad, including Ayatollah Khomeini but, instead of gratitude, he simply reaped further and more violent protests, on which he blamed the British and American ambassadors (the BBC, in fact, employed many “left-wing” journalists who disliked the Shah and SAVAK as "reactionary" forces and sympathised with a revolution seen as "progressive".

Mohammad Reza also blamed the Soviet Union for supporting “dupes” and saw his enemies as "Marxist" revolutionaries rather than Islamists and, after the oil workers’ struck in October, cutting Iranian revenues and compelling him to release more political prisoners. On November 21^st, then-American SecTreas Michael Blumenthal met the Shah in Tehran and told Carter that "this man is a ghost", as by now the ravages of his cancer could no longer be concealed. In late December, Pahlavi offered to hand over the reins of power to the National Front's Gholam Hossein Sadighi (interior minister to Mosaddegh, imprisoned after the 1953 coup), but after learning Carter, President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing of France, Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of West Germany and United Kingdom Prime Minister James Callaghan  would meet in Guadeloupe on 5 January 1979 to discuss the crisis in Iran, he realized that the West had abandoned him and, handing power over to Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar, flew to Egypt, thereafter bouncing around from country to country... Egypt to Morocco, to the Bahamas, to Mexico and finally (and fatally) Henry Kissinger and New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller (for political and personal financial reasons) bullied Carter into allowing him into the USA for medical care while his son remained in exile.

And Khomeini, refusing to deal with Bakhtiar, started the civil war that the regime had surrendered power in order to avoid. With SAVAK dissolved, senior military officials either executed or turned to the side of the Islamists and Khomeini declaring himself the totalitarian ruler of all Iran, “the dissolution of the monarchy was complete.”

In his memoir, Answer to History, Pahlevi denied that his medical care instigated “the storming of the US Embassy in Tehran and the kidnapping of US diplomats, military personnel, and intelligence officers, which soon became known as the Iran hostage crisis.”

Kicked out of America in a vain attempt to free the hostages, the dying Shah was also refused admission back to Mexico due to a deal between President José López Portillo and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and, under pressure from Carter, allowed into Panama by leftist General Omar Torrijos – who made no secret of dislike of the fallen Shah, calling him chupon, a Spanish slang term for "someone who is finished".

While Torrijos measured the financial incentives of keeping Pahlavi in Panama against ideological pressure to have him and his family extradited back to Iran, el chupon gave one last television interview to British journalist David Frost, re-broadcast by ABC on Jan. 17^th. After Khomeini advisor Sadegh Ghotbzadeh told Carter that the hostages would remained imprisoned (and possibly executed) unless the CIA be commissioned to kill the Shah, Pahlevi fled back to Morocco, then back again to Egypt where his condition was worsened by incompetent medical care and he died at 9:15 a.m. on 27 July 1980 at age 60.

After his overthrow, his son Reza Pahlavi declared himself (for the first of many times) the new Shah of Iran in exile and, of late, he has supported (but not joined) Iraniam protests “promoting the change of the Islamic dictatorship in Iran to representative democracy.”

Sadat, even then cognizant of the ancient Sunni/Shiite split, gave the Shah a state funeral – attended by family and some politicians, notably Richard Nixon. He was buried in the Al Rifa'i Mosque in Cairo, a mosque of great symbolic importance. Also buried there is Farouk of Egypt, Mohammad Reza Shah's former brother-in-law.

Wikipedia listed a number of conspiracy theories as to why Iranians revolted, ranging from the probable to the fanciful but counting the royal family's wealth as one of the factors behind the uprising. This was due to the oil crises of the 1970s which increased inflation resulting in economic austerity measures which made lower class workers more inclined to protest.

As the Shah’s only heir... after payoffs of an estimated half million to each of his siblings... Pahlavi could afford, and enjoy, a life of luxury (for example, a fleet of 140 classic cars including one of the world’s six Mercedes-Benz 500K Autobahn cruisers and a Maserati 5000 GT which (despite his contributions to charity) have made many Iranians suspicious of his veracity.

“Can a monarchy that collapsed nearly half a century ago still shape Iran’s political imagination?” asked the Daily Star of Pakistan in Touseful Islam’s opinionator “Shadow of the Shah”?(March 7, ATTACHMENT EIGHTEEN)

The answer, like many attendent to the Iran of today, is complicated. Crown prince Reza Pahlavi, who is the oldest son of the last Shah of Iran, “has built up a sizable following in Iran’s diaspora,” but, Mr. Islam reminds, “the monarchy relied on the intelligence service SAVAK, accused of surveillance, repression and torture of dissidents. Combined with economic inequality and anger among religious leaders, the shah’s authoritarian rule steadily eroded public support,” and younger Iranians may be advised by their grandparents of what happened in a prior century.

“Recent protests in Iran have revived the Pahlavi name. Some demonstrators have invoked the former monarchy while criticising the Islamic Republic,” states Mr. Islam, “though analysts caution that such slogans often reflect anger at the present system rather than organised royalist support.”

Nearly five decades after the revolution, “the dynasty continues to evoke competing, and perhaps defining, memories—modernisation for some, authoritarianism for others.”

Another beguiling but controversial royal Princess Fawzia (1921 – 2013), the Shah’s first wife - daughter of Sultan Fuad of Egypt. A celebrated fashion model in her own right (photographer Cecil Beaton called her the “Asian Venus” while putting her on the cover of Life Magazine), Fawzia raised eyebrows; being a Sunni Muslim who spoke Arabic, married to a Shia who spoke Persian.

But it was the Shah’s infidelities (homosexual allegations aside, he was said to prefer tall, blonde women) that sent them to splitsville – after the birth of her daughter, Shahnaz, she fell into depression and King Farouk engineered a divorce. Pahlavi’s second wife, whom he loved most, could not concerive, so he married a third, who gave him a royal son and three other children.

The eldest, now seeking the seat that his father once held, has lashed out against fellow nepots Khameini and Khomeini saying they lacked legitimacy and were “complicit in the bloodstained record of this regime,” he posted on X. (GHANA NEWS AGENCY, ATTACHMENT TWENTY)

THE CRYPT-KEEPER

The AI Overview of Hassan Khomeini, who like Pahlavi denies the crimes of his ancestors and asserts his sanity and willingness to abide by the rule of law, designates him “the prominent, relatively moderate grandson of Iran's revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, serving as custodian of his grandfather's mausoleum,” the “most visible of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's 15 grandchildren, inheriting symbolic importance from the founder of the Islamic Republic,” and: “while generally supporting the establishment and praising current leadership, he also advocates for principles like military neutrality in politics, reflecting his grandfather's legacy.”

New Lines Institute’s Nozar Vaziri, on March first (ATTACHMENT TWENTY ONE) dubbed a Khomeini Iran’s “likely next Supreme Leader” but the problem was that it was Hassan’s brother, Ali.

According to Iranian President Masood Pezeshkian, the next supreme leader after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be announced in “one to two days.”

Per Shia Imamate doctrine, “which has continued in Shia clerical traditions, succession must be passed from fathers to their oldest or most able sons and through them to their male progeny. The institution of kingship in Iran is a 2,500-year-long tradition, which follows the same pattern. Both notions – kingship and Imamate – are highly resonant in Iranian culture.”

While Iran’s ruling establishment is free to choose any cleric they wish to become the next supreme leader, Vaziri considered it “highly unlikely they would not leverage this dual nature of Velayat Faghih for the successor to Khamenei.

“Khamenei had four sons: Massood, Mostafa, Meisam, and Mojtaba. By far the most able and capable son among these is Mojtaba.

“Khomeini had two sons, Mostafa and Ahmad. Both are long dead, but they had several sons of their own. Mostafa had one prominent son, Hossein, who became a dissident; Ahmad’s sons, Yasser, Hassan, and Ali, operated within the establishment. Of these,” Vaziri numbered, “Yasser is too young and too inexperienced. Hassan is the best known of Ahmad’s sons, but he is associated with the Reformist camp, and most regime loyalists do not trust him for that reason, effectively eliminating him from consideration.

“That leaves Ayatollah Ali Khomenei, who is an Islamist as well as a highly astute and effective politician, as the best contender for the mantle of the supreme leader within the Khomeini clan.”

Acknowledging the likelihood of “fierce competition behind the scenes” between the two main contenders, NLI deemed Mojtaba “highly popular among rank-and-file Islamists because he had been so close to his father and assumed a leadership role while his father was alive” but unlikely to prevail against Ali because. Ayatollah Khamenei had become very unpopular among the public toward the end of his reign, with grievances including a deteriorating economy, a repressive domestic policy, and foreign policy goals that saw many losses and costs with few or no benefits. In this way, his son is suffering by association with his father and his policies.

Whoever becomes supreme leader must convey the beginning of a new era, not the continuation of past failed policies. Otherwise he will be unpopular from the very start. The Islamic Republic cannot survive without structural reforms and a public that gives these reforms a chance. Mojtaba cannot deliver on the latter imperative.

The death of Mojtaba’s wife and several other relatives in the operation that killed his father has raised sympathy, but this is only confined to the Islamist camp who constitute less than 10% of the population.

THE GATEKEEPER

After Mojtaba was, in fact, chosen to succeed his father through the support of the 88 Experts and, what observers call “the men with guns,” a second New Lines article... this by Kamran Bokhari (March 9, ATTACHMENT TWENTY TWO)... noted that his elevation marked “the first time power in the Islamic Republic has effectively passed from father to son, a controversial step as Iran confronts its most severe military and political crisis since its inception.”

All things being equal, Bokhari opined, “Mojtaba would have not succeeded his father for several reasons. First, the regime’s legitimacy has long been based on the fact that it toppled a monarchy and thus it could not be seen as engaging in dynastic rule, especially as public opposition has grown considerably in recent decades. Second, the supreme leader is supposed to have at least some stature in terms of religious credentials. Third, there are many factions that oppose the move based on the son’s ability to lead. Finally, there were many others who were better positioned,” such as Ayatollah Ali Khomeini (above) or his brother, Hassan – touted as the best of the pile by others, below.

It may have been that the hurried choice of Mojtaba Khameini, with war raging, the economy failing and protesters being gunned down in the streets. “Under such circumstances, the regime’s key stakeholders had strong incentives to fill the vacuum as rapidly as possible to project continuity and prevent the perception that the system was unraveling amid an existential crisis;” delegating authority to an interim leadership council, even for a few weeks, even days, “would have risked internatl paralysis.”

Since Mohtaba enjoyed backing from influential segments of both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the political clergy, the competing factions “broadly agreed that the leadership vacuum had to be filled quickly to preserve regime cohesion.” Mojtaba was elevated to the Supreme Leadership because he had long functioned as his father’s trusted aide and gatekeeper, “giving him familiarity with the levers of power at a moment when continuity was paramount.”

The risk for Khameini (and potential reward to other contenders, the Americans and most of the people) is that, as Bokhari describes it, his elevation amid an existential war “reinforces hardline imperatives over pragmatic governance, potentially intensifying repression and internal dissent rather than defusing it.”

Reuters (ATTACHMENT TWENTY THREE) bucked influencers like New Lines, advocates of Ali, and backed Hassan Khomeini as the most visible of the late Ayatollah’s fifteen grandchildren who, as his grandfather’s crypt-keeper without government experience, appeals to “some politicians inside Iran” who would prefer a moderate successor to the apocalyptic Moxxie.

Hassan drew both applause and abhorrence from Iranians for his defense of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman who died in 2022 after being taken into custody by morality police, accused of violating conservative dress codes - an incident that ignited countrywide protests.

Authorities "must transparently and precisely account for what has happened to this 22-year-old girl under the pretext of 'guidance and education'," he said.

A close friend of Khomeini's, speaking to Reuters in 2015, described him as a progressive theologian, especially when it comes to music, women's rights, and social freedom. He follows trends on social media and is interested in Western philosophy as much as Islamic thought.

His wife, Sayyeda Fatima, is the daughter of an Ayatollah, and they have four children.

In 2008, he was widely regarded as criticising Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) when he said in an interview that those claiming loyalty to his grandfather's legacy should follow his order that the military must stay out of politics. He nevertheless enjoys close ties to the Guards, an elite force tasked with safeguarding the Islamic Revolution.

Khomeini supported the Rouhani government that negotiated the 2015 nuclear agreement, which eased sanctions in return for limits on the nuclear programme - until U.S. President Donald Trump tore it up in 2018.

A decade ago, Khomeini sought to run in an election for the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for picking the Supreme Leader.

He secured an initial nod of approval for his candidacy from Khamenei, who reportedly gave his blessing while also cautioning Khomeini against doing any harm to his grandfather's name. But he was later disqualified by the Guardian Council.

Khomeini has described Israel as the "evil Zionist regime" and "a cancerous tumor" backed by the West, and has said the Muslim world should make itself strong to confront Zionism, according to statements reported by Jamaran, an Iranian news website dedicated his grandfather’s memory.

The grandson of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran “is likely to feature prominently as clerics deliberate who will become the country’s new Supreme Leader,” the Independent U.K. reported. (March 2, ATTACHMENT TWENTY FOUR)

The case for installing a moderate successor to the late Supreme Leader gained momentum among some Iranian politicians in the wake of unrest that swept Iran in January as a means of shoring up the Islamic Republic in the face of widening dissent.

In a condolence letter, Mr Khomeini said the late Supreme Ruler would forever "be the hero of the people of Iran and Muslims", adding: "The noble people of Iran will once again walk the path of the Imam (Khomeini) by overcoming this incident."

The Ayatollah Khomeini had two sons, Mostafa and Ahmad. Both are long dead, but they had several sons of their own. Mostafa had one prominent son, Hossein, who became a dissident; Ahmad’s sons, Yasser, Hassan, and Ali, operated within the establishment. Of these, Yasser is too young and too inexperienced. Hassan is the best known of Ahmad’s sons, but he is associated with the Reformist camp and, at least in the beginning, most regime loyalists do not trust him for that reason, effectively eliminating him from consideration. (New Lines, ATTACHMENT TWENTY FIVE)

That leaves Ayatollah Ali Khomenei, who is an Islamist as well as a highly astute and effective politician, as the best contender for the mantle of the supreme leader within the Khomeini clan.

Khamenei had four sons: Massood, Mostafa, Meisam, and Mojtaba. By far the most able and capable son among these, New Lines opines, is Mojtaba... even if rumours of his homosexuality had Trump laughing along with his fellow YMCA dancers.

“It is a safe assumption that there will be fierce competition behind the scenes between the two main contenders, Mojtaba Khamenei and Ali Khomeini. The former,” New Lines declared, “is highly popular among rank-and-file Islamists because he had been so close to his father and assumed a leadership role while his father was alive.

“However,” NL added, “he is unlikely to prevail against Ali Khomeini for several reasons. Ayatollah Khamenei had become very unpopular among the public toward the end of his reign, with grievances including a deteriorating economy, a repressive domestic policy, and foreign policy goals that saw many losses and costs with few or no benefits. In this way, his son is suffering by association with his father and his policies.

Ali, unlike his brother Hassan, has many important advantages in the selection process for supreme leader. “First, he represents the Khomeini brand, which means a great deal in Iran. Second, his politics are orthodox and Islamist. At a moment when non-Islamist Iranians have lost faith in the ruling establishment, the only constituency he can bank on initially is the Islamist crowd.

Third, he is married to the granddaughter of Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani of Iraq. This makes him unique among his clerical peers. He is expected to leverage that unique connection to bridge the yawning rift between Schools of Qum and Schools of Najaf, with the latter thriving and popular and the former in serious crisis thanks to the dominance of hardcore Islamism for close to half a century.

“Fourth, Ali Khomeini delivered a grave and moving minute-and-a-half-long speech as eulogy to Khamenei, and Mojtaba did not, which leaves little doubt that the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic has a high chance of being declared the next supreme leader. Finally, in contrast to Khamenei, who showed little flexibility to compromise on the all-important issue of a nuclear deal with the United States, Khomeini, Ali’s grandfather, was far more canny and far less doctrinaire.

“Ali Khomeini’s father-in-law, Ayatollah Javad Shahrestani – the son-in-law of Sistani, lives in Qum and receives millions of dollars in donations from the faithful, some of which he spends in Iran on philanthropic causes. As an influential, though inconspicuous, member of Iranian elite, Ali represents Najaf’s views on various issues and if he is declared the next supreme leader, Shahrestani would play an oversized role in Iranian politics.”

The Wiki bio of Hassan Khomeini describes him as “moderate” and “reformist” compared to both Mojtada Khameini and to his grandfather. (ATTACHMENT TWENTY SIX)

In 1995, following the death of Ahmad Khomeini, Hassan “was appointed custodian of the Mausoleum of Khomeini where his grandfather and father are buried. He has been described as having "expressed frustration with some policies of a regime dominated by fundamentalists", such as former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Several times a Presidential candidate, the perennial Persian persistantly either faced rejection by the people or by the Guardian Council on his showtime, 10 February 2016.^[11]

The Egypt Independent (ATTACHMENT TWENTY SEVEN) cited Hassan’s interview with Iran state media IRIB – wherein he said that if the country’s theocratic regime were to fall, “Iranians would suffer.”

He claimed an “ISIS-like terrorism” was driving the unrest, saying “(w)e witnessed a (level of) violence that doesn’t sit with Iranian sensibilities,” he said, according to state media. “It was an ISIS style violence. It seems to me behind the curtain, a big part of it is an ISIS trend that came in from neighboring countries.”

And Wiki’s treatise on Mohtaba Khameini describes him as “the most influential son of Khamenei” and a possible successor to his father as supreme leader. (ATTACHMENT TWENTY EIGHT)

In one of many parallels to the American President Trump, Mehdi Karroubi, a reformist candidate in the 2009 election, accused Mojtaba Khamenei of conspiring to rig the election in Ahmadinejad's favor, referring to illegal interference of "a network”.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad later accused Mojtaba of embezzling from the state treasury. He is widely believed to control significant financial assets in banks such as Bank Ayandeh and Bloomberg reported in January 2026 that Khamenei is linked to an offshore financial network used to hold and move assets outside Iran.

“The reported holdings include high-value real estate in London and Dubai, as well as interests connected to shipping, banking relationships, and hospitality assets in Europe. According to the investigation, the assets were generally not held in Khamenei's name but structured through intermediaries and layered corporate entities across multiple jurisdictions.”

As Djonald UnSeated spent the exile years trying to overturn his defeat to Old Goneaway Joe shuffling assets which would include crypto and, of late, drones among his family, Moxxie was also getting rich while doing his father’s bidding, and also being placed under US sanctions for acting in place of the Supreme Leader without ever being elected or appointed to any official position^[37] and for working closely with the commander of the Quds Force, responsible for "covert operations including lethal aid, intelligence, financing, and training" of the Taliban, Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Popular Mobilization Forces Iraq and others; and for fostering close ties with the Basij paramilitary group as well as advancing "his father's destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives."

Wiki’s take on the Middle East Institute opined that “Khamenei appointing his own son as successor would cause conflict within the Iranian political and religious leadership,^[53] as it would be a sign that the revolutionary Islamic system of government had evolved to dynastic rule.”

According to Iran International, Mojtaba Khamenei is preferred by the IRGC, which pressured Assembly of Experts members to elect him on 3 March, by "in-person meetings and phone calls" but experienced strong opposition from some members of the council, “including eight who stated that they would boycott a second online electoral meeting planned for 5 March.”  Mehmet Ozalp stated in The Conversation that, following Mojtaba Khamenei's election, he "[might] lean more heavily on the might of the IRGC" than his father did. The Daily Telegraph predicted that he would view the United States "implacable enemy" and would be likely to escalate the conflict and unlikely to make any compromises.^[12]

Implacable Donald Trump scoffed: "They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment [...]".

(See Wikilinks and referencs in the Attachment)

GOT MOXXIE?

By March 4^th, day five of the Iran War, GUK’s Patrick Wintour was prepared to lay down money on Mojtaba’s selection due to the desire of “senior figures” eager to continue the war – no matter what the death toll among civilians might be.

“No official confirmation has been given and the announcement may be delayed until after the funeral of Ali Khamenei, which was on Wednesday postponed. (ATTACHMENT TWENTY NINE)

Rigid in his anti-western views, Mojtaba Khamenei is not the candidate Donald Trump would have wanted. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said on Tuesday that Iran was run by “religious fanatic lunatics” – and Khamenei’s appointment is hardly likely to dispel that opinion.

Reuters (March 4, ATTACHMENT THIRTY) also followed the left-wing GUK in placing Khamenei over Khomenei, Pahlavi and the rest as their candidate of likelihood – if not choice – despite his clerical “mid-ranking” heritage.

But, as he “has strong constituency and support within the IRGC, in particular amongst the younger radical generations," said Kasra Aarabi, head of researching the IRGC at United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S.-based policy organisation.

If elected, Mojtaba “will face pressure from U.S. sanctions that have hammered the economy and could face opposition from Iranians who have shown they are ready to stage mass protests to press their demands for greater freedoms despite bloody crackdowns by the authorities.”

The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Mojtaba in 2019, saying his father had delegated some of his responsibilities to Mojtaba, whom it said had worked closely with the commander of the IRGC's Quds Force and the Basij, a religious militia affiliated with the Guards, "to advance his father’s destabilising regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives".

Mojtaba, whom some Americans of verbiage may be calling an “incel” despite his marriage with children (killed in the recent strike), was “a particular target for criticism by protesters for engineering the death of a young woman in police custody in 2022, after she was arrested for allegedly breaching the Islamic Republic's strict dress codes.”

CBS (March 5^th, ATTACHMENT THIRTY ONE) also placed Khameini as most likely to accede, with Arari trailing, then Larijani and Khomeini ranking fourth.

“Leadership transitions inside the Islamic Republic are normally carefully choreographed affairs,” said the Peacock in its ranking of aspirants to the Peacock Throne. “The last one occurred in 1989 after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and involved intense negotiations among clerical and political elites before Khamenei ultimately emerged as the compromise choice.”

Negotiations, this time, seem to be swept off the table due to the war and “generational change inside the Revolutionary Guard” whereas common human considerations are subordinated to End Times theology.

"The commanders of the Revolutionary Guards who were killed were those who had cut their teeth in the Iran-Iraq war," Georgetown University professor and Iran expert Mehran Kamrava, in Doha, said. "They had seen battle close up and they had moderated."

Their replacements, however, represent a different generation.

"The younger generation… are far more radical, far less pragmatic," Kamrava added. 

“(S)trategically, the structure of power inside Iran remains intact. Clerics, Revolutionary Guard commanders and security institutions still dominate the state. And their priority, especially in wartime, is stability.

After the Assembly of Eperts seleced Moqtaba (AMWAJ Monday, ATTACHMENT THIRTY TWO) reported that: “The selection process has been shrouded in ambiguity amid the fog of war, with the delay compounded by conflicting accounts from members of the 88-seat clerical council tasked with voting on leadership succession.”

“Ambiguity also surrounds the physical state of Khamenei junior,” AMWAJ added. “The bombing of the supreme leader’s compound on Feb. 28 also killed his mother, his wife, and a son. Additionally, a sister was slain along with her husband, together with other relatives. For several days, the younger Khamenei was believed to have been assassinated too, with reports about him being wounded emerging only days ago. The extent of his injuries is unclear, with some political insiders in Tehran suggesting that he may have been in a coma.”

Undeterred, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continued pushing for a dynastic succession which, in normal circumstances, “would be anathema to a state founded on explicit rejection of hereditary rule.”

Experts in the Council of the same attributed the choice to Hossein Taeb, “a longtime confidante of the 56-year-old and former head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization,” against Ayatollah Khamenei’s written will, the grumblers grumbled – one of whom, Ali Asghar Hejazi, the deputy chief of staff of the Office of the Supreme Leader, was reportedly, by Israeli media, assassinated on Mar. 6.

And perhaps the push pushing Khameini’s tush over the goal line was Trump’s contemptuous dismissal of the little Ayatollah – begging the question that the Experts would have selected anybody that would vex The Donald: Rosie O’Donnell?... Mayor Mamdabi?... Sneaky Old Joe???

And now, with Hejazi in mind, other doubting dissidents like Pezeshkian succenly backtracked on his apologies for Iranian military strikes on neighboring states in retaliation for Israeli-US attacks on Iran or just stayed home and shut up while conspiracy theorists ventured that... since “Israel has threatened to assassinate whoever is selected to become Iran’s next supreme leader, while the US has warned that Khamenei's successor must cooperate or face the same fate as the elder Khamenei,” AMWAJ speculated that “certain networks in Tehran” are “playing multi-dimensional chess”: that... perhaps reflecting reports that Moqtada, if not killed, had been seriously wounded, even incapacitated by the American bombing... the supreme leader they really have in mind “may actually be Khamenei junior’s successor.”

LOOKING AHEAD

While expert Experts voted on the basis that both Israel and the US have indicated Iran’s third supreme leader “is not immune to attack” (if anything remains of him worth doing so – in which negative case an incapacitated Supreme Leader might be a positive development).

“Khamenei junior’s selection may be geared to end the war on somewhat favorable terms,” AMWAJ concluded, “whether by projecting continuity and defiance or simply by manifesting that the Islamic Republic still lives on and will still be led by an Ayatollah Khamenei.”

Or, as contended by the likes of Gassi-man (below), maybe they’ve just heard a grace chord from Allah that the time for the End Times has arrived - and just went camelshit crazy...

In its midnight marches through Tehran, ginning and gumming up support for the Khameini Junior, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and National Police, some of the Assembled Experts and supporters of an immovable Islamic Republic hailed the victor - whom the right-wing English (Telegraph U.K.. ATTACHMENT THIRTY THREE) called “simultaneously the most powerful man in Iran and potentially the most vulnerable supreme leader the country has ever had,” taking power “during an active war, with bombs falling, oil facilities burning and Iran’s military command structure severely weakened.”

The rival Sun U.K. dismissed the new Supreme Leader’s power, if not his vulnerability, in dredging up Moqtaba’s impotency “difficulties” and rumours of anti-Islamic homosexuality, U.K.P.M. Starmer’s pivot on joining the shooting war against Iran with “limited defensive” missions and publishing President Trump’s contemptuous reaction to the choice – including a comparison that defenders of democracy might find ominous.

Trump told Axios on Thursday he needed to be personally involved in the selection process – the same way he did in Venezuela after the capture of Nicolas Maduro.

Said Djonald UnDjeterred: “They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” the US leader said.

Is that a hint to the IRGC that the scalp of a Khamenei, Khomenei or Pahlavi and imposition of a lesser known but still lethal (domestically) Supreme Leader would be an acceptable end to the controversy (and the war)?

Perhaps.

A second Sun reported that, following Khamenei’s death, “a shady web of stooges” he created in a bid to make his regime “coup-proof” – which The Sun this week revealed – will be stepping up behind (or, perhaps, instead of) Mojtaba to take the reins.

“We haven’t had the reports yet as to whether he is alive,” Kasra Aarbi, director of IRGC research at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told The Sun.

The new SL’s impotency problem was dissected by the Trumpish New York Post (ATTACHMENT THIRTY FOUR) – joking that “the regime hardliner was reportedly so soft that he checked into the clinics at least four times — including a stay that lasted two months before he was finally able to knock up his wife.

“Mojtaba was expected by his family to produce children quickly, but needed a fourth visit to the UK for medical treatment; after a stay of two months, his wife became pregnant,” the diplomatic cable reported on his progress at the Wellington and Cromwell Hospitals in London.

The treatment was successful, but his wife and son “were reportedly among the 49 people killed alongside his 86-year-old father in (what the Post called an) “Israeli” strike in Tehran on Saturday.”

An update (ATTACHMENT THIRTY FIVE) snarked that the Unsupreme Breeder had had to engage in two “temporary marriages” — permitted under Iran’s Islamic law – allowing people to engage in sex out of wedlock and still maintain proper religious standing “where he had ample time to practice his stroke before getting officially shacked up,” only to be made a son-less widower after the strike, now attributed to the Americans and Israelis.

“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight,” Trump told Axios Thursday, as reports swirled that Mojtaba was likely to be tapped Tehran’s next supreme leader.

Once elected (Time, March 8^th, ATTACHMENT THIRTY SIX) the losers and their minions fell back into silence... perhaps waiting for the next strike to strike.

“From more than 20 years ago when rumors began that Mojtaba has ambitions to replace his father one day, I have watched with horror as the requisite pieces for what can only be described as a hereditary succession fell in place year after year,” said one political activist, who declined to be named out of fear of retribution.

Sunday, after the choice, the IRGC issued a statement pledging "deep respect, total loyalty and absolute obedience," to the dickless wonder. 

“The Guards aren’t just fighting for proxy groups or missiles, they are fighting for their very existence,” said another analyst based in Tehran, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The cartel they had created—an octopus that had tentacles in almost every vestige of the Iranian society, from economy, to media, to religion—has constrained all the other many actors and factions with the Islamic Republic.”

The war has solidified the country’s (well, at least the regime’s) “revolutionary” ideology, which casts Iran as the global challenger to Western hegemony, and given the new leader a personal reason for hostility to the U.S.

“If before there was even the slightest of chances that Mojtaba Khamenei might take the country down a path of major reforms, such as those initiated by the Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman, which would include détente with America, it’s now impossible,” the analyst said.

“Mojtaba didn’t lose just a father on that day, he lost a mother, a wife and a child,” noted Timepiece Kay Armin Serjoie, seconding contentions that Trump’s contempt had convinced a majority of the Experts to support Moxxie. “He is filled with an undying desire for revenge, and the Guards know this.”

As to the question of whether the Supreme Leader is already dead or, at least, incapacitated, the Jerusalem Post went digging amongst the dirtpiles and found “a source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post that the assessments are that although Mojtaba Khamenei was injured during the war “he remains capable of carrying out his duties and managing state affairs as Iran's new supreme leader.”

Eleven takeaways during the strike and an after-the-facts explication by A.P. (March 8, ATTACHMENT THIRTY EIGHT) reported from Dubai as Iran’s retaliatory bombings and droning hit eight, then eleven, then fourteen MidEast Sunni rivals – “widen(ing) its attacks across the Mideast to strike oil and water facilities crucial to its desert sheikdoms.”

The Revolutionary Guard has been firing missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states since the younger Khamenei’s father, was killed Feb. 28 during the war’s opening salvo.

“The war has shaken global energy markets,” four AP reporters declared, pushing oil prices above $100 a barrel and leading to tighter supplies of natural gas after Qatar turned off its production.”

While the country’s key nuclear sites are in tatters after the United States bombed them during the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June, “there’s still highly enriched uranium in Iran that’s a technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Khamenei could choose to do what his father never did — pursue the bomb.”

Various reportings, including testimony by Iranian regime sources, contend that the 400 KG of bomb-grade uranium is still buried under rubble in various sites, a contention questioned by Western powers.

Israel has already described the new Supreme Leader as a potential target, “while U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the idea of Khamenei taking power.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me,” Trump has said. “We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”

REGIONAL ANGER GROWS AND OIL RISES ABOVE $100 A BARREL

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said Monday it intercepted a drone attacking the country’s massive Shaybah oil field. The kingdom followed the alleged drone attack with sharper warnings to Iran that it would be the “biggest loser” if it continued to attack Arab states.

It dismissed comments by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday that Iran had halted its attacks on Gulf Arab states.

“The kingdom affirms that the Iranian side has not implemented this statement in practice, neither during the Iranian president’s speech nor afterward,” Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Iran has continued its aggression based on flimsy pretexts devoid of any factual basis.”

The AP also reported that two U.S. officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the State Department will order nonessential personnel and families of all staff to leave Saudi Arabia as Iran escalates its attacks while eight other U.S. diplomatic missions “have ordered all but key staff to leave: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.”

“Bahrain accused Iran of indiscriminately attacking civilian targets and damaging one of its desalination plants, though its electricity and water authority said supplies remained online.

“Desalination plants supply water to millions of residents in the region and thousands of stranded travelers, raising new fears of catastrophic risks in parched desert nations.”

Other AP dispatches reported that Teheran residents should “take precautions against toxic air pollution and the risk of acid rain from the oil depot attack,” that 517,000 Lebanese have been displaced, and that “Israel’s renewed offensive began last week after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel during the Iran war’s opening days.”

The AP Peanut Gallery included a comment from Stormyweathers willing to give the Israelis and Americans the benefit of the doubt “because 60% uranium has precisely one purpose, being one step away from a nuclear weapon. It's not good for anything else, so any claim that they were not weaponizing is either ignorance or dishonesty,” while Roge 160 advised the CIA to “do your job find this new dictator and take him out.”

Al Jazeera, giving the Qatari take on Khamenei Junior (March 8^th, ATTACHMENT THIRTY NINE) solicited Rami Khouri, “a distinguished public policy fellow at the American University of Beirut,” who said Khamenei’s appointment signals “continuity”, adding that it remains to be seen whether the new supreme leader will push for negotiations to end the war.

Either way, he said, the appointment was “an act of defiance”. Iran is “telling the Americans and Israelis, ‘You wanted to get rid of our system? Well … this is a more radical person than his father, who was assassinated,'” he said.

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Israel, said the new supreme leader was “not the change we’re looking for”. “I believe it’s just a matter of time before he meets the same fate as that of his father,” the Republican lawmaker from South Carolina said on X.

By contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged “unwavering” support for Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment “and China said it opposed any targeting of the new Supreme Leader.”

Heidari Alekasir, a member of the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body that was tasked with choosing the supreme leader, confirmed several of the reportings above, saying the candidate had been picked based on the late Khamenei’s advice that Iran’s top leader should “be hated by the enemy” instead of being praised by it.

“Even the Great Satan [US] has mentioned his name,” the senior scholar said in reference to Trump’s earlier statement that Mojtaba Khamenei would be an “unacceptable” choice for him to lead Iran.

On Friday, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appeared to ridicule the US president’s demands.

“The fate of dear Iran, which is more precious than life, will be determined solely by the proud Iranian nation, not by [Jeffrey] Epstein’s gang,” he wrote on X, referring to the late sex offender who had ties to rich and powerful figures in the US.

As the Shia scholars selected the new supreme leader, the Jazzies reported that “a dark haze hung over Tehran after Israel struck five oil facilities in and around the capital overnight, setting them ablaze and filling the skies with acrid smoke.

“Meanwhile, the IRGC has said it has enough supplies to continue its drone and missile attacks across the region for up to six months.

IRGC spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini said Iran had so far used only first- and second-generation missiles, but it would use “advanced and less-used long-range missiles” in the coming days.

“Meanwhile, Trump again refused to rule out sending US ground troops into Iran, but continued to insist that the war was all but won, despite the ongoing Iranian missile and drone strikes.”

NPR’s biography (or, perhaps, obituary) of Mojtaba called him “a mid-ranking cleric who has until now wielded his power exclusively behind the scenes...” not necessarily a bad thing, considering that he would show up less on the American or Israeli kill-radar.

"[Of] all the candidates that were put out there,” the gumment sponsored (for now) medium adjudicated, Khameini “was the one that was closest to the IRGC. He was also very well-connected in his father's own office," Iran specialist Afshon Ostovar told NPR last week, as Khamenei emerged as one of the most likely successors. Ostovar said his selection would mean "the regime wants to preserve as much of the status quo as possible."

The U.S. Treasury Department ferreted out and imposed sanctions on Mojtaba under the first Trump administration in 2019, for what it said was "representing the Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position aside from work in the office of his father."

That wasn't the only time Mojtaba Khamenei was accused of quietly influencing Iranian affairs, NPR opined, including multiple presidential elections.

“He is believed to be behind the sudden rise of hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005 and his reelection in the disputed election of 2009, which resulted in massive anti-government protests suppressed by security forces, including the Basij. One of the chants of pro-reform protesters was: "Wish you death Mojtaba, so you would never be the next leader!"

NPR added that Khamenei's selection could be unpopular at home, “given that Iranians had taken to the streets to protest economic conditions and call for regime change — prompting a deadly government crackdown — well before the current outbreak of fighting.”

The BBC (ATTACHMENT FORTY ONE), took possession of US diplomatic cables, which were published by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s, describing him as "the power behind the robes."

Mojtaba's name first entered the public spotlight during the 2005 presidential election, which resulted in the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a populist hardliner. His re-election triggered mass protests across the country, “known as the Green Movement. Some protesters chanted slogans opposing the idea that Mojtaba could succeed his father as Iran's supreme leader.”

PROTESTS KNOWN AS THE GREEN MOVEMENT ENSUED AFTER THE 2009 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Mostafa Tajzadeh, the then-deputy interior minister, described the result as an "electoral coup". He was imprisoned for seven years, which he attributed to "the direct wish of Mojtaba Khamenei".

Two reformist candidates, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, were put under house arrest after the 2009 election. In February 2012, Mojtaba met and urged Mousavi to give up his protest, Iranian sources told BBC Persian.

Now, as Iran's freshly chosen supreme leader, many expect Mojtaba to continue his father's hardline policies.

Some also believe that a man who has lost his father, his mother and his wife in US-Israeli strikes will be unlikely to bow to Western pressure.

Two days after the strike, Reza Pahlavi published an op-ed in the Washington Post in the early hours of Sunday morning, responding to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and outlining his plan for a democratic Iran.  (Jerusalem Post, ATTACHMENT FORTY TWO)

Pahlavi addressed fears of the US establishing an extended, resource-draining military presence in Iran as it did in Iraq in the early 2000s following the assassination of Saddam Hussein.

The crown prince explicitly assured Washington Post readers that "Iran is not Iraq. We will not repeat the mistakes that followed that conflict."

In one of the many parallels between Trump and the Iranian contenders, the pollsters at Real Clear Politics reported on Pahlavi’s contention that "the pillars of the Islamic Republic regime’s aggression are crumbling" and called on Iran's Arab neighbors to prepare to recognize Himself as the leader of a transitional government.

"The regime itself is breaking," it was said. "The Iranian people have called on me to lead the transition after the regime is gone. I have accepted that responsibility. Part of their great mandate to me is to return our nation and our foreign relations to normalcy. I will do exactly that.”

But the speaker was not Donnie, it was Reza. (ATTACHMENT FORTY THREE)

His latest post, (perhaps the last, should Khameiniac sleeper cells or lone wolves succeed in at least one assassination attempt) included numerous allegations against the regime (including support for Assad in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis and a panoply of bad actors in the shadows of the Gulf States from Iraq to Iran itself) and a pledge to avoid “de-Baathification scenarios” that would purge the entire gumment of anti-Semites and anti-Americans... given that many have cause to blame the West for killing family members and, instead, ensure the transition is orderly, the country is stabilized, and Iranians determine their future through the ballot box," he said.

“The Iranian people have called on me to lead the transition after the regime is gone,” he envisaged. “I have accepted that responsibility. Part of their great mandate to me is to return our nation and our foreign relations to normalcy. I will do exactly that.

“Take this new path with us.”

But one set of boots, or Skechers, on the ground is headed in different direction and on a different path.

President Trump was asked whether he saw Pahlavi, who, noted the Times U.K. (ATTACHMENT FORTY FOUR) “has lived in comfortable exile in France and the US since his father was deposed in 1979,” as an option for the next leader of Iran. Trump said: “I guess he is. Some people like him and we haven’t been thinking too much about that. It would seem to me that somebody from within maybe would be more appropriate. I’ve said that he looks like a very nice person.”

Saeed Ghasseminejad, the director of the Iran Prosperity Project and a member, howsoever hesitantly, T.U.K. reported, of Pahlavi’s inner circle, said: “President Trump looks at the Venezuela model and obviously, for any stakeholder that wants to avoid chaos, you would prefer someone who is inside the regime and can control the security forces. They found someone like that in Venezuela. But the situation in Iran is quite different.”

First, the Gassi one poined out, Venezuela was, and, under Delcy, remains a leftist dictatorship. This [Iran], howeve, “is an apocalyptic regime. They believe their task is to lay the groundwork for the reappearance of the ‘Hidden Imam’ who will initiate the end-of-time battle. So it’s very difficult to imagine that they will decide to be ‘normal dictators’ from now on and are not going to do anything outside the country. That’s not in their DNA.”

He said a second reason why Iran and Venezuela were very different was that “in Iran, they just killed more than 40,000 people. So it would be immensely difficult to decapitate [the regime], and then put someone else in and tell the people, you need to accept this person. You can do it, but the people won’t accept it.”

A third difference, Saeed said, was that Pahlavi “was available as a leader and would continue to urge people to protest, he said, which in turn would trigger a cycle of more repression and probably more US intervention.

Ghasseminejad said he did not view Trump’s comments “as a negative thing” for Pahlavi - rejecting Pahlavi’s display of naivete “after two Russian comedians duped the crown prince into giving a video interview believing he was speaking to “Adolf”, an official sporting a Hitler moustache (and) purporting to represent Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor.”

“Obviously it’s better if you have someone inside who is not crazy, who is moderate,” Gassie said, “but the reality is that that person does not exist.”

Another British publication, The Canary, reported that Khamenei was elected “after much deliberation” and then inaugurated with lightning quickness on Monday. (March 9, ATTACHMENT FORTY FIVE)

KHAMENEI OUT OF THE SHADOWS

This choice of leader is about more than ‘keeping it in the family’ the birdie chirped; moreover, “it laughs in the face of Trump for believing he could ever pull the levers of such a decision,” even if the people, most of whom the regime deems contemptable... also expendable... despise Junior but have been slaughtered into silence, at least for the time being.

Much to the dismay of Iran’s foes, for now, the “snake” – as they call it –  has grown (or spawned) a new head.

Is this the war Trump claims is going “very well”? Notwithstanding what the Republican cultish leader thinks or wants the world to think, the Canary predicted that “Iran will not bow for his or anyone else’s convenience. The crowning of Mojtaba reminds those waging this unprovoked war that it’s “ultimately a one-finger salute to the Trump’s twin demands of:

§ unconditional surrender

§ involvement in (bigger birdies would say “dominion over”) the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future

Pahlavi, perhaps, may have noted “Trump-friendly” Sen. Lindsey Graham, who said the appointment of the late Ayatollah’s son “is not the change we’re looking for” before calling him a “religious Nazi” and confirming the target placed on his back; the South Carolinian saying:

I believe it’s just a matter of time before he meets the same fate as that of his father — one of the most evil men on the planet.

Azadeh Sobout, a research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast (which knows a thing or four about civil, or uncivil, combat) delivered a “blistering” critique of America’s cavalier attitude – criticizing the mischaracterisation of freedom as a cannonball tearing through civilian infrastructure:

We are being sold this binary idea that we either have to choose between dictatorship or bombardment, between destruction of submission.

“Mojtaba has been accused by some Iranians of suppressing anti-government protesters in January 2026, and engineering past presidential elections, the Canary parroted a BBC report; others have cast him as the hereditary heir to Khamenei, arguing that his appointment runs counter to the tenets of the Islamic revolution of 1979.

More controversial is the IRGC-controlled business empire Mojtaba has inherited, including the state-owned Setad conglomerate – giving him control over assets Reuters valued at USD 95 billion which not only parallels the American President’s family fortune, but exceeds them tenfold.

These include properties previously owned by dissidents stripped of their ownership rights – a trick Trump has yet to deploy, but wait!

Whereas some journalists consider the strikes, the war and elevation of Khamenei Junior to Supreme Rulership to have been to the ultimate benefit of Russia, Australia’s Betoota Advocate opined that the “United States is this week basking in all its glory.” (ATTACHMENT FORTY SIX)

Those left-wing koalas charge that the “United States of Imperialism is patting itself on the back for once again blatantly breaching international law and destabilising an entire region,” despite many in places like Australia (or America) “bemoaning the spike in the cost of living and question the sense in starting another long term regional conflict, the United States has assured the world that the war is a success.

“Despite 'Nepo Baby' allegations,” Ayatollah Kahmanei (sic) Junior “is set to take the reins of the regime in what will definitely result in the freedom and liberation of the Iranian people - and definitely won't require the US and its allies to kill him as well,” despite Post penis quantification quora (in New York, not Washington. (ATTACHMENT FORTY SEVEN)

On Monday, the president gave a “glowing assessment” of Operation Epic Fury to reporters at his Trump National Doral Miami golf club.

“They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no anti-aircraft equipment, it’s all been blown up,” the president said of Iran’s military strength. “They have no radar. They have no telecommunications, and they have no leadership. It’s all gone.

“So, you know, you could look at that statement. We could, we could call it a tremendous success right now as we leave here. I could call it, or we could go further and we’re going to go further.”

Gamblers know of whom he speaks, and are laying their money down upon whence the heir will be terminated and the regime has to dig deeper into its bench or face the prospects of civil war – whereupon the question of what happened to the enriched uranium, that special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner contended would be sufficient to build eleven nuclear bombs – as noted above.

Djonald InDeterminate also told the Mar-a-Lago corps that “we’ve left some of the most important targets for later in case we need to do it. If we hit them, it’s going to take many years for them to be rebuilt.”

During a press conference after his sitdown with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, one reporter asked Trump what plans he had made for a “worst-case scenario” in Iran, as the US and Israel continue to wage war on the country. (Al Jazeera, ATTACHMENT FORTY EIGHT)

“I guess the worst case would be we do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen. We don’t want that to happen,” Trump said.

“It would probably be the worst. You go through this and then, in five years, you realise you put somebody in who is no better.” (The statement was also repeated at other press briefings, but sometimes with the end times expanded to ten years.)

He added that he sought to “prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America” and issued a call for Iranian opposition members to “take over your government”.

Other administration officials, however, attempted to downplay regime change as a motive for the ongoing attacks, including Secretary of Defence/War Pete Hegseth.

“This is not a so-called regime change war,” Hegseth told reporters on Monday. “But the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it.”

So far, the President contends that the much-maligned “Venezuelan comparison” is working to the benefit of all concerned – especially in that replacement Delcy Rodriguez has surrendered millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil – without which the bad gas pump prospects would be considerable worse.

“Venezuela was so incredible because we did the attack, and we kept government totally intact. And we have Delcy, who’s been very good. We have the whole chain of command,” Trump said.

“The relationship’s been great. We’ve taken out a hundred million barrels of oil already. And a big part of that goes to them, and a big part goes to us,” Trump said.

Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani whose snarling presence has decorated the proceedings all the way back to Attachment Two, above, now says it’s time for Trump to get that which he so cavalierly dishes out to others... a bullet, or drone... or maybe poisoned Whopper.

Breitbart (Tuesday, ATTACHMENT FORTY NINE) reported that Larijani, one of the more belligerent and vocal figures in what is left of the Islamist regime, threatened Trump in the context of declaring that Iran was not losing the war.

“Even those greater than you have failed to eliminate the Iranian nation,” Larijani wrote, addressing the American president. “Be careful not to be eliminated yourself!”

“We’ve known for a long time that Iran had intentions on trying to kill President Trump and/or other U.S. officials,” DefSec/WarSec Pete told reporters. “And while that was not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, never raised by the president or anybody else, I ensured, and others ensured, that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list.”

“Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth added.

President Trump addressed the tough talk from Iran once again on Monday night, transiting from personal safety to nautical freedom. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that “Death, Fire, and Fury will reign [sic]” over Iran if its regime attempts to block shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which the regime claims to have done for ships associated with the United States and Israel.

As of now, Iran has done so, Trump has reciprocated and Khameini, apparently, is in command – although in hiding or, perhaps, lying in a hospital bed in some underground bunker.

Breitbart cited Iranian state media’s description of Khamenei as “vaguely injured during the conflict”; some online rumors suggest that Khamenei may be significantly harmed and unable to govern.

Azerbaijan, one of Iran’s latest bombing and droning victims had perhaps precipitated its own carnage by reporting that the strike that killed the Ayatollah Khamenei (Senior) had also killed the Junior.

“Iran's fragile regime suffered another blow today as reports emerged that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the man briefly installed as supreme leader, has been killed,” reported the News AZ, after Father Ali fell to the joint U.S. – Israeli strikes that decapitated the Islamic Republic's leadership at the outset of escalated conflict. Mojtaba, long viewed as the hardline favorite to inherit power despite no formal public role, was reportedly named successor earlier this week amid chaos and Israeli warnings that any new leader would become a target. (ATTACHMENT FIFTY)

· Circulating accounts, including from sources inside Iran, claim Mojtaba (apparently surviving the initial attack) was eliminated “mere hours” after his appointment. Social media erupted with claims of confirmation, including posts noting his "career" from appointment to death spanned only an afternoon.

· Major outlets like Reuters, AP, and The New York Times, as of early March, reported Mojtaba alive and in hiding following his father's death, with succession talks ongoing but no final announcement. Yet unverified but persistent reports suggested Israel's threats proved real, delivering swift justice to the regime's would-be heir.

· But the Google AI Overview disagreed, reporting upon Mojtaba...

· Status: Alive, potentially in hiding following the airstrikes. (ATTACHMENT FIFTY ONE)

· Another Overview estimated the dead/alive dictator’s personal wealth to be only three billion as opposed to Reuters’ estimate of thirty times that – based on who holds possession of the confiscated assets of dissidents, refugees and the dead.

· That drops him back down lower than the Trump family swag but his “vast, opaque” fortune still includes gold, diamonds, a $138 million mansion in London and assets are allegedly distributed across banks in the UAE, Syria, Venezuela, and African countries.

	IN the NEWS: MARCH 6th, 2026 to MARCH 12th, 2026
Friday, March 6, 2026 Dow: 47,501.55	National frozen food week begins as America welcomes Reza, son of dead dictator Pahlevi, Ali, the son of blown-up Supreme Ruler Khameini, Moqtaba, grandson of other dead Supreme Ruler Khomeini as candidates for the... probably... interim despot-in-chief of an Iran, frozen in time and hate for nearly half a century. The decision of the Experts leaves nepotistas-in-waiting waiting to see what happens – and when. No matter who’s on top, the war continues as the Shiite revolutionary guardsmen of IRGC@ blast away at Israel and their Islamic (but heretical) Sunni neighbors – hoping, and not without hope, that gas prices in the USA (escalated by the closing of the Strait of Hormuz) will provoke a regime-changing revolution in Washington, not Teheran. Otherwise, as Trump proclaims, “The war will be over when I want it to be,” welcoming Khameini 2.0 with his demand for unconditional surrender and disposing of embarrassing DHS dogsbody Kristi No-meini, following comrade and alleged lover Corey Lewandoski into something called the American Shield (maybe a lesser Security agency, maybe a lesser Marvel auctioneer). Thousands of Americans remain stranded here and there actross the world – due, not only to the war, but also to the Shutdown 3.0, entering its third week. The DoJ, under bipartisan pressure, releases 10,000 EpFiles; a tiny proportion of those still hidden, but containing uncorroborated allegations that Trump raped a 13 year old girl. In another matter of importance to POTUS (and, apparently, hungry millions): McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy’s escalate their war by putting bigger meals on the menu at higher prices. (If they were serious about sales, they’d bring back the BOGOs but, like the gas stations... why gift when you can gouge.)
Saturday, February 28, 2026 Dow: Closed	Israel, Iran and the U.S. exchange new rounds of strikes while leakers leak the news that Russia is helping Iran predict American aims. Is this an act of war? Either way, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says America “will take its dreams to the grave.” Religious believers not convinced the End Times have arrived. No end to Trump’s wars, however... he sends Little Marco to Havana to negotiate Cubs’s unconditional surrender while Venezuela trucks on much as before under President Delcy (it is, after all, the Month of the Woman). Politicians, celebrities and the media gather in Chicago for the funeral of Jesse Jackson. Al Sharpton invokes the past. Presidents Obama, Biden and Clinton reminisce – Obama credits Jackson for his winning the Presidency. Republicans no show, but President Trump sent a nice message. The Council of Experts selects Supreme Ruler Junior Khameini to continue Dad’s jihads against America, Israel, Saudis, Gulf States, Egypt, Turkey etc. etc. ISIS wannabees clash with neoNazis in front of Gracie Mansion, NYC... throwing IEDs as fail... and mystery terrorists attack the US Embassy in Oslo, Norway.
Sunday, March 1, 2026 Dow: Closed	With either today or tomorrow being National Women’s Day (depending on Daylight Savings rules in Iran), misogynist Khameini hopes America will pull out of his behind now, the way they did in Venezuela, leaving a woman... yucch!... in charge. Perhaps responsive, perhaps not, a man rapes a 94 year old woman in Baton Rouge, La. On Talkshow Sunday, ABC’s Martha Raddatz asks an Israeli officer if the nukes at Fodrow were really destroyed, and he anwers “If Trump says so, it was.” UAE joins the allies in bombing Iran, but Trump says he will not work with the Kurds. US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz says “... in many ways we are seeing tremendous success,” citing 40 ships sunk plus degradation of missile production, air force and nuke production - ending “Bill Clinton’s 47 year war.” He restates the conspiracy that Iran bombed its own girls’ school to embarrass America. Former Joint Chief Mike Mullin says he IRGC will fight to the end because the issue is their survival. “These wars don’t end easily,” he warns. Former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren says Iran can only win by not losing as everybody’s looking for the 400kg of enriched uranium buried in Fordow attack with which Iran can make suitcase bombs and cites revolutions past like Washington’s at Valley forge. The ABC roundtablers discussing oil prices include homegirl Mary Bruce who says Trump needs a media campaign to support the war, Susan Glasser (New Yorker) saying it’s hard to win a war when you don’t know what you’re doing (applicable to both sides) and the Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum says American bombing of Iranian oil fields just raises prices at the pump. On “Face The Nation”, Israeli ambassador Michael Lester says the war will go on despite 80% of Iranian popular opposition because the Guard and the mullahs with guns can repress the people with stones.
Monday, March 9, 2026 Dow: 47,740.80	Gas and oil price volatility replaces constant increasement which is a good thing – even though a barrel of crude now goes for $110 with $6+ at the pump; tumble then rise as oil prices drop. Rep. Schumer (D-NY) calls on Trump to tap the strategic oil reserve, but he refuses, attacking more fuel depots and generating toxic smoke Iran calls “chemical warfare” as they escalate attacks on Dubai, Kuwait, water desalination in Bahrain and a synagogue in Belgium. China joins Russia in supporting Iran’s new Supreme Leader – but only with words; no weapons, no troops. Olga Stefanyishnya, Ukraine’s ambassador, says she’s worried about the USA running out of drones and missiles. The ongoing Shutdown 3.0 causing unpaid TSA workers to call in “sick” and airports back up as a week of Spring Break. Distractions are hard to find, but white people’s Royal Family sees mini-scandal as Princess Eugenie, Andy’s wife, resigns from her anti-slavery charity over the EpFiles and ordinary, apolitical criminal shoots up Rihanna’s house. Teenage pranksters accidentally kill teacher in Georgia, legislators in neighboring Alabama ban drag shows on gumment property and Anthropic sues the DoJ after refusing to produce autonomous nuke robots for DefSec Hegseck. (What would Schwarzenegger say?)
Tuesday, March 10, 2026 Dow: 48,223.82	President Trump finds a novel solution for America’s impending lack of drones and missiles due to ban on imports... Don Junior and Eric tweak the portfolios they “manage” for him to add drone manufacture to their profitable crypto companies. Democrats protest corruption but... well, they’re just Democrats. Volatility escalates as oil prices rise to $120/barrel overnight, then drop back down to $90. Prices at the pump, however, rise above $8/gal as gouging fever takes hold. Travelers say the war and shutdown is affecting some airports more than others... worst of the worst identified as JFK New York, Hobby Houston and Miami. After breakers and their money boycott resorts that instituted draconian police practices, some relax rules against partying while others double down. TV docs say that kids’ brains are failing under an averge three hours daily on their phones. Nursing home police in California finds massive fraud in hospice industry. Patients are cheated and even killed – 109 criminal caes so far. Millionaire Alexander real estate brothers in Gotham arrested on charges of pimping and raping.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 Dow: 48,417.27	EnSec Chris Wright denies gambling influences and blames anonymous staffer for circulating a report that the Navy would escort oil tankers through the Straits of Hormuz – which would lower oil prices and boost stock market values. In fact, Iranian mining of the Straits will extend cutoff for weeks or even months after the war ends. As funerals for the mullahs and minions killed in strikes on Teheran, here are some numbers: ships attacked in Hormuz (2), Iranian boats destroyed (16), Iranian people killed (1,200); US drone and missile strikes on Iran: (5,500); refugees in Lebanon after Israeli attacks (750,000). President Trump says Iran war was over “in the first hour” but fighting goes on – over there and among the partisans at home. Sen. Kelly (R-Az) warms him that AI killing jobs is a national security issue, but the ‘Pubs are fighting among themselves: Sen. John Kennedy (La.) attacks unrelated HHS Bobby Kennedy by saying that he uses toilet seats to sit on, not sniff drugs off of. While the DoJ admits mistake in not invading Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in New Mexico while somebody erects a golden statue of Trump and Jeffy in front of the White House.
Thursday, March 12, 2026 Dow: 46,677.85	It’s National Girl Scouts Day. President Trump tosses 172M barrels of cookies (oil) into the market as other Western countries send another 400M while Iran, even so, promises that they will make Americans pay $200/gal. and surrender. Trump replies that the war is over and we won... but also that it wasn’t war in the first place. After a report that the Navy will be escorting tankers through the strais of Hormuz, oil prices drop and stocks rise, but when this proves illusory, things get worse again. Farmers fear that another big Hormuz freight is fertilizer – the lack of which will postpone or kill spring planting. In sports, the American baseball team is upset by Italy. NBA’s Bam Adebayo scores 83 points, second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s record 100. Hollywood prepares for the Oscars: Host Conan O’Brien says America wants to “see my body in motion” and does a slippery preview dance. Producers say that nominees will get swag bags worth $300,000 – win or lose, predictions flow and gamblers gamble.
War and Shutdown 3.0 slammed both the Dow and the Don with nearly everything impacted.

THE DON JONES INDEX

CHART of CATEGORIES w/VALUE ADDED to EQUAL BASELINE of 15,000

(REFLECTING… approximately… DOW JONES INDEX of June 27, 2013)

Gains in indices as improved are noted in GREEN. Negative/harmful indices in RED as are their designation. (Note – some of the indices where the total went up created a realm where their value went down... and vice versa.) See a further explanation of categories HERE

ECONOMIC INDICES		(60%)
CATEGORY	VALUE	BASE	RESULTS by PERCENTAGE			SCORE		OUR SOURCES and COMMENTS
INCOME	(24%)	6/17/13 revised 1/1/22	LAST	CHANGE	NEXT	LAST WEEK	THIS WEEK	THE WEEK’S CLOSING STATS...
Wages (hrly. Per cap)	9%	1350 points	12/11/25	+0.40%	4/26	1,878.49	1,886.07	https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/average-hourly-earnings* 37.17 37.32
Median Inc. (yearly)	4%	600	2/27/26	+0.06%	3/13/26	1,118.31	1,118.94	http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 51,720 746 774 803
Unempl. (BLS – in mi)	4%	600	2/27/26	+2.23%	4/26*	542.60	530.27	http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000/  4.3 4.4
Official (DC – in mi)	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.14%	3/13/26	205.95	205.65	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    7,589 7598 610 621
Unofficl. (DC – in mi)	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.21%	3/13/26	239.31	238.81	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    14,296 323 354 384
Workforce Participation Number Percent	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.025% -0.0004%	3/13/26	298.55	298.55	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    In 164,345 386 432 478 Out 103,642 689 721 763 Total: 267,987 8,075 8,241 61.326 321 317
WP % (ycharts)*	1%	150	2/27/26	+0.16%	3/26*	151.19	151.19	https://ycharts.com/indicators/labor_force_participation_rate 62.50
OUTGO	(15%)
Total Inflation	7%	1050	2/27/26	+0.3%	3/26*	922.82	922.82	http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm     +0.2
Food	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.7%	3/26*	260.23	260.23	http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm     +0.2
Gasoline	2%	300	2/27/26	-0.5%	3/26*	264.59	264.59	http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm    -3.2
Medical Costs	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.4%	3/26*	272.55	272.55	http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm     +0.2
Shelter	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.4%	3/26*	239.67	239.67	http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm     +0.3
WEALTH
Dow Jones Index	2%	300	2/27/26	-5.70%	3/13/26	381.44	359.70	https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/index/ 49,395.16 9,499.20 46,677.85
Home (Sales) (Valuation)	1% 1%	150 150	2/27/26	+5.33% -1.17%	3/13/26	141.58 264.86	141.58 264.86	https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics Sales (M):  4.35 Valuations (K):  404.4
Millionaires (New Category)	1%	150	2/27/26	+0.05%	3/13/26	136.58	136.61	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    24,056 069 082 096
Paupers (New Category)	1%	150	2/27/26	+0.03%	3/13/26	135.38	135.34	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    36,739 749 761 772
GOVERNMENT	(10%)
Revenue (trilns.)	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.13%	3/13/26	470.13	470.74	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    5,378 384 391 398
Expenditures (tr.)	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.06%	3/13/26	292.77	292.60	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    7,083 087 090 094
National Debt tr.)	3%	450	2/27/26	+0.075%	3/13/26	349.18	348.92	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    38,715 741 850 879
Aggregate Debt (tr.)	3%	450	2/27/26	+0.09%	3/13/26	372.42	372.08	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    106,719 805 903 7,000
TRADE	(5%)
Foreign Debt (tr.)	2%	300	2/27/26	+0.13%	3/13/26	255.06	254.74	http://www.usdebtclock.org/    9,501 512 524 536
Exports (in billions)	1%	150	2/27/26	-1.64%	3/26*	178.80	178.80	https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 287.3
Imports (in billions))	1%	150	2/27/26	+2.43%	3/26*	144.27	144.27	https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 357.6
Trade Surplus/Deficit (blns.)	1%	150	2/27/26	-19.20%	3/26*	201.72	201.72	https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 70.3
ACTS of MAN	(12%)
World Affairs	3%	450	2/27/26	-0.3%	3/13/26	470.08	468.67	Children’s drawings could be blasphemous under Islamic law, schools warned. EuroTeror suspected in bombing of US Embassy in Oslo, Norway, bus fire in Switzerland and Belgian synagogue while active shooter sprays US Consulate in Toronto, Canada.
War and terrorism	2%	300	2/27/26	-0.2%	3/13/26	284.30	283.73	War provokes anti-American protests in London and Pakistan while Trump sends SecState Marco to Cuba to negotiate the government’s “surrender”. Violent Iran/Israel riots in NYC and Congress. Terror threat closes Kansas City airport, already stressed due to Shutdown 3.0. FBI alleges Iranian plot to bomb California – perhaps for the Oscars?
Politics	3%	450	2/27/26	-0.2%	3/13/26	456.55	455.64	USPS expected to run out of money in a year. Say bye bye to DHS Kristi Noem and Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-Tx), Trump (through his sons) branches out from crypto to drones, gumment contracts called corrupt. Gumment shutdown 3.0 causing TSA workers to call in sick, resulting in long lines at sirports...
Economics	3%	450	2/27/26	-0.2%	3/13/26	429.64	428.78	...already afflicted by shortage of jet fuel due to the war. Private sector shutdowns at Six Flags park and Saks dept. stores. Unnamed “staffer” to EnSec Chris Wright accused of false report of US Navy escorting Hormuz tankers that sends stocks up, oil prices down.
Crime	1%	150	2/27/26	-0.2%	3/13/26	205.81	205.40	Five teens arrested in toilet paper pranking death of Gainesville, CA teacher. Mad mom kills 2 girls in Ohio and hiding them in suitcases. Evil tourist attacks flamingos at Vegas hotel. Weird man arrested for raping a 04 year old woman. Weirder man arrested for having sex with a dead deer.
ACTS of GOD	(6%)
Environment/Weather	3%	450	2/27/26	-0.2%	3/13/26	279.98	279.42	Spectacular lava explosions shoot 25,000 feet in the air over Hawaii’s Mount Kiluea. Killer tornadoes strike Midwest, deaths in Illinois and Indiana.
Disasters	3%	450	2/27/26	+0.1%	3/13/26	464.02	464.48	Wildfire danger easing, fortunately because cities in US have a shortage of fire trucks.
LIFESTYLE/JUSTICE INDEX		(15%)
Science, Tech, Education	4%	600	2/27/26	+0.1%	3/13/26	614.29	614.90	Anthropic AI in legal battle with DoJ after refusing to greenlight mass surveillance of Americans and autonomous nuclear armed robots. Amazon website crashes, techsters deny terror.
Equality (econ/social)	4%	600	2/27/26	-0.2%	3/13/26	669.01	667.67	Afghan judge greenlights beating women. Alabama bans drag shows on gumment property. Mariska Hargitay and Sheryl Lee Ralph were honored as Time's Women of the Year.
Health	4%	600	2/27/26	-0.2%	3/13/26	415.88	415.05	TV docs say 36,000 kids treated yearly for bunk bed falls; that daylight Savings can kill you with sleep destruction and that 3 hrs. daily social media use warps kids’ brains. Allergenic potato chips from Lay’s and Miss Vickie’s allergenic jalapeno potato chips recalled. Ford recalls 600,000 vehicles with defective wipers.
Freedom and Justice	3%	450	2/27/26	-0.1%	3/13/26	481.11	480.63	Prosecutors in California accuse hospice corporations of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, neglect and even kill patients. 109 cases so far and rising. Harvey Weinstein opines: “Prison is Hell.”
CULTURAL and MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS			(6%)						456.55
Cultural incidents	3%	450	2/27/26	-0.1%	3/13/26	584.30	583.72	AI “actress” Tillie Norwood wants an Oscar despite human performers saying that’s “not right.” Harry Styles drops new album, pays tributes to Liam Payne. American baseball team upset by Italy, but Nathan Martin from Michigan edges out a Kenyan in LA Marathon photo finish while a running man runs 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. Travis Kelce will return to KC and bring what ‘ser name with him. Superbowl champ Jalen Hurts writes children’s book, Valerie Bertinelli publishers her memoires. RIP: “Fixin’ to Die” singer Country Joe, “Boston” lead singer Tommy DeCarlo, actress Jennifer Runyon (“Ghostbusters”), Watergator Alexander Butterfeld, Selma voting rights activist Bernard LaFayette
Miscellaneous incidents	4%	450	2/27/26	-0.1%	3/13/26	549.00	548.45	Fishing tournament contestant accused of pouring lead down his catch’s mouths. Gungirl shoots at Rihanna’s LA house, but misses her and is arrested.
* There are duelling Trading Economics depictions of American hourly wages – the $37 m/l figures above and a lower version by about five dollars (rising from $31.34 in January to 32.03: an increase of 2.2 as opposed to 0.4 for the larger (official) figures. The Las Vegas Sun reported that the Dow dropped 500 points as stocks sold off around the world and oil prices leap even higher on war worries. The Dow initially dropped 1,200 points on first day of stock market since the beginning of the Iran conflict. A sell-off for stocks wrapped around the world and hit Wall Street Tuesday, though the losses eased significantly as the day progressed.

The Don Jones Index for the week of March 6^th through March 12^th, 2026 was DOWN 34.14 points

The Don Jones Index is sponsored by the Coalition for a New Consensus: retired Congressman and Independent Presidential candidate Jack “Catfish” Parnell, Chairman; Brian Doohan, Administrator. The CNC denies, emphatically, allegations that the organization, as well as any of its officers (including former Congressman Parnell, environmentalist/America-Firster Austin Tillerman and cosmetics CEO Rayna Finch) and references to Parnell’s works, “Entropy and Renaissance” and “The Coming Kill-Off” are fictitious or, at best, mere pawns in the web-serial “Black Helicopters” – and promise swift, effective legal action againth parties promulgating this and/or other such slanders.

Comments, complaints, donations (especially SUPERPAC donations) always welcome at feedme@generisis.com or: speak@donjonesindex.com.

ATTACHMENT ONE – FROM L’UNION SARDA (ITALY)

TRUMP: "KHAMENEI JR. IS UNACCEPTABLE." TEHRAN: "A US GROUND INVASION? IT WOULD BE A DISASTER FOR THEM." THEN, ISRAEL ATTACKS AGAIN IN LEBANON.

Sixth day of conflict: an oil tanker hit off Kuwait, drones in Azerbaijan. Zelensky: "The United States has asked us for support against the drones, we will help them."

Sixth day of war between the US, Israel, and Iran . Overnight, Tehran and the Jewish state exchanged missile fire, while unconfirmed news leaks that Iraqi Kurdish militias may launch a ground operation on Iranian soil (on behalf of the US?).

Fears of possible European involvement: yesterday, an Iranian missile headed for Cyprus diverted toward Turkey and was shot down by NATO defenses . French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with both US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu , calling on them to "stop the escalation." The controversy between the US and Spain is also gaining traction, after Prime Minister Sanchez denied the United States bases, sparking Washington's ire. As for Italy, Ministers Tajani and Crosetto held a hearing in Parliament "on the evolution of the international situation and on the Gulf countries' request for aid." Italy, Prime Minister Meloni explained, "intends to send air defense aid to the Gulf countries" and also to Cyprus, but "we are not at war and we do not want to be involved." And on the basics: "No request," but if it were to arrive, the Prime Minister explained, "it would be up to the Government to decide whether or not to grant more extensive use, but I think that in that case we should decide together with Parliament."

Live news for Thursday, March 5th

10:30 PM: New raid, IDF confirms

The Israeli military confirmed the evening raid on the southern outskirts of Beirut, saying it had begun "targeting Hezbollah infrastructure" in the suburb also known as Dahiyeh.

10:00 PM – New Israeli raid on Beirut

The Israeli army carried out an attack this evening in the southern suburbs of Beirut, considered a Hezbollah stronghold, after issuing an evacuation order. The explosion was heard in the capital and surrounding areas, according to the Lebanese newspaper L'Orient Le Jour.

9:00 PM – Iranian state TV reports: "The US aircraft carrier Lincoln was hit."

The announcement was made on Tehran state TV, but no confirmation has come from the United States.

8:30 PM – Tajani: "The embassy in Tehran has been temporarily closed, and we've been transferred to Baku."

"For security reasons, we have decided to temporarily close our embassy in Tehran; the staff is moving to Baku." This was announced by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, announcing that "the mission that allowed 50 Italians, including diplomats and a group of fellow citizens who wanted to leave Iran to cross the Azerbaijani border, has just concluded." Tajani recalled that other countries had also closed their embassies, that the Italian presence had already been reduced for some time, and that "we have not severed diplomatic relations; the embassy in Tehran is moving to the embassy in Baku."

8:10 PM – Trump: "We support the Kurdish offensive against Iran."

US President Donald Trump has said he supports the Kurdish offensive against Iran. In a telephone interview with Reuters, available on his website, the tycoon said he thought "it's wonderful that they want to do this, I would be completely in favor of it." When asked whether the United States would provide or had offered air cover for a possible Kurdish offensive, Trump replied: "I can't tell you."

8:00 PM - Trump fires Kristi Noem, Senator Mullin takes over Homeland Security

US President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem via Truth. The tycoon announced in a post that "the distinguished United States Senator, originally from the great state of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026."

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7:50 PM – Iran: Senate approves majority resolution

The Senate approved the center-right resolution on Iran with 94 votes in favor, 39 against, and 8 abstentions. This is the same document approved by the Chamber of Deputies, which includes commitments regarding the defense of European countries, military bases granted to the US, and support for the Gulf countries. The text proposed by the Democratic Party, the Five Star Movement, and the Italian Socialist Party (AVS) was rejected, while the one proposed by the Italian Socialist Party (IV) was deemed absorbed. In Montecitorio, the Chamber also rejected the "broad field" resolution and approved individual points in the documents presented by Azione, Iv, and Più Europa.

7:25 PM – NATO: "Ready to defend allied countries from ballistic missiles."

"NATO is well-positioned to defend allied populations from ballistic threats": this is the title chosen by the Atlantic Alliance to summarize the outcome of today's meeting of the North Atlantic Council in ambassadorial format, convened in light of Iran's continued "indiscriminate" attacks in the Middle East and beyond. Chaired by Secretary General Mark Rutte, the meeting saw the Allies firmly condemn the bombing that struck Turkey yesterday, expressing their full solidarity with Ankara.

7:15 PM – Israel: "Terrorists plan to target citizens abroad, several attacks foiled."

In light of a concrete fear that terrorist elements are currently attempting to target Israelis abroad, Israel's National Security Council urges citizens abroad to continue to maintain a high level of vigilance and adhere to precautionary measures. The Council indicates that Iranian elements are attempting attacks in countries in the region and near Iran, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Jordan.

6:50 PM – Zelensky: "The US has asked us for support against drones in the Middle East."

"We have received a request from the United States for specific support in protecting against Iranian drones in the Middle East. I have ordered the provision of the necessary resources and the presence of Ukrainian specialists who can ensure the necessary security," Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky said on Telegram. "Ukraine helps partners who contribute to our security and the protection of our citizens' lives. Glory to Ukraine!" he added.

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6:45 PM – Trump insists: "Khamenei's son is incompetent."

"The reason the father never considered his son for the succession is because he considered him incompetent," Donald Trump said in an interview with Politico regarding Khamenei's son. The American president then reiterated that the United States "will work with Iran to help them make the right choice."

6:30 PM – Iran: "We are ready for a ground war."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC that Iran is ready to face a possible US ground invasion. Araghchi also rejected any negotiations with the United States and stated that Iran has not called for a ceasefire. Araghchi spoke to Nightly News host Tom Llamas from Tehran. When asked if he feared a possible US ground war, the minister took a defiant tone: "No, we are waiting for them. Because we are confident we can confront them, and it would be a great disaster for them."

6:15 PM – Trump accuses his allies: "Spain is a loser, Starmer has disappointed me."

US President Donald Trump lashed out at his allies Spain and the United Kingdom. In a phone call with the New York Post, Trump called Spain a "loser" and said that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer should support the US campaign against Iran "no questions asked." "We have a lot of winners, but Spain is a loser, and the United Kingdom has been very disappointing," Trump said in a telephone interview with the Post. "Spain is very hostile to NATO. They don't pay their contributions, they're the only ones who voted against paying the 5%, and they're very hostile to everyone," he said, referring to the alliance's members' commitment to devote 5% of their GDP to defense.

5:50 PM – Trump: "Khamenei's son is unacceptable. I must be involved in choosing his successor."

"Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran," US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Axios, stressing the need for him to be "involved" in choosing Ali Khamenei's successor in Iran.

5:30 PM – Starmer: "To stop the escalation in the Middle East, we need negotiations."

"My firm belief is that de-escalation is necessary and that the key issues must be resolved through negotiations." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated this during a press conference on Downing Street. In response to journalists' questions, he did not venture to predict the duration of the conflict unleashed by the US and Israel against Iran. He then reiterated his decision not to participate in attacks against Tehran and to engage only in defensive actions in support of allied countries. His comments came after US President Donald Trump harshly criticized the Labour prime minister's stance.

5:25 PM - Lloyd's of London: "A thousand ships blocked in Hormuz, worth $25 billion."

Approximately 1,000 ships, half of which are carrying oil and gas worth more than $25 billion, are stranded in the Strait of Hormuz due to the escalation of the Middle East conflict, according to Sheila Cameron, chief executive of the Lloyd's Market Association, the body representing insurers within the Lloyd's of London market.

5:20 PM – EU sources: "The concern now is Iranian sleeper cells."

During the Home Affairs Council, the 27 ministers focused on the crisis in the Middle East and the potential repercussions for Europe, both in terms of migratory flows and security, particularly terrorist attacks. In this regard, the primary concern is the "Iranian sleeper cells" that could now be activated. The Commission therefore tabled its proposal—presented last week—for the fight against terrorism, instilling the necessary "sense of urgency" among the 27. This was also reflected in the implementation of the new electronic border control system.

4.50pm - Maritime sector designates Hormuz and the Gulf as a war zone

The international shipping industry has officially designated the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf as "areas of warfare." The decision, made after a meeting of global trade unions and shipping companies, reflects the military escalation in the Middle East and the increased risks to commercial shipping, given the "hundreds" of ships stranded in the region.

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4pm - Starmer announces the dispatch of four more British fighter jets to Qatar

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the dispatch of four additional Typhoon military jets to Qatar in light of the widening conflict in the Middle East. The fighters will join an RAF squadron already deployed in the Gulf state, a key ally of London, "to strengthen our defensive operations in Qatar and across the region," the prime minister said at a press conference.

4:00 PM – Tajani and Crosetto report to the Senate

The session begins: live on Unione TV

3:55 PM – White House: "If necessary, Trump will escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz."

US President Donald Trump has said he will direct the US Navy to "escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz" if necessary, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X. Trump, she noted, "has already announced that the United States Development Finance Corporation will provide political risk insurance, at a very reasonable price, for oil tankers and cargo ships operating in and around the Gulf." "Rest assured: President Trump's entire energy team, from the White House to the National Energy Dominance Council to Secretaries Wright and Bessent, has this all planned and is doing so with great dedication," the spokeswoman wrote.

3:40 PM – US: "Our combat power continues to grow."

Iran's ability to impact U.S. forces and regional partners is "rapidly declining," while American combat power in the region continues to grow, according to X Centcom, the U.S. Central Command.

3:20 PM – Starmer: "The United Kingdom will not join the attacks."

"The British position has long been the best one for the world: to negotiate a deal with Iran while they abandon their nuclear ambitions. The UK will not join in the attacks on Iran; this is a decision that was taken in the national interest, and I reiterate that," said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a press briefing.

2:40 PM – Iran launches drones against US base in Iraq

The Iranian military claims it attacked a base housing U.S. troops in Erbil, northern Iraq, using ground attack drones, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The attack caused "significant damage," the agency reported.

2:10 PM – Beirut: "The Pasdaran operating in Lebanon will be arrested."

The Lebanese government has decided to ban any potential military activity by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and reimpose visa requirements for Iranians entering the country, a measure aimed at targeting the pro-Iranian group Hezbollah. The Cabinet decided that, if "members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards are confirmed to be present in Lebanon," it would "prohibit all activity and arrest the members with a view to their extradition," announced Information Minister Paul Morcos.

2:10 PM - Meloni in Parliament on the 11th on the EU Council and Iran

"Meloni has informed me of her availability to come to Parliament on Wednesday, March 11, "bringing forward the communications on the European Council and expanding them to the crisis in the Middle East. I have informed the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to verify whether the conditions are met." This was stated by Luca Ciriani, Minister for Parliamentary Relations, when asked by Transatlantico about the convening of the group leaders following the vote on the resolutions on Iran.

1:40 PM – Large fragments of intercepted missiles fall in the West Bank

Large fragments of Iranian missile interceptors fell in Huwara, south of Nablus in the West Bank, during the latest bombardment.

1:30 PM - Paris clarifies that US aircraft are in French bases but only on national territory.

It's not French military bases in the Middle East that have been granted for use by American aircraft, but the sole base at Istres, within France. The French General Staff clarified. According to what was confirmed to BFM TV, these are not combat aircraft, but support aircraft, which are being accepted at Istres as part of "a routine NATO procedure." The General Staff clarified that "taking into account the context, France has demanded that the aircraft concerned not participate in any way in US-led operations in Iran, but be used strictly to support the defense of our partners in the region."

1:20 PM – Tehran: "EU countries' silence over attacks? They'll pay a heavy price."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei warned that European Union countries "will pay a heavy price, sooner or later" if they remain silent about US and Israeli attacks on Iran. Baghaei made these statements to Spanish television station TVE.

1:00 PM – Todde: "Reassurances on the repatriation of Sardinians stranded on ships in Dubai."

President Todde has been in constant contact with the Italian ambassadors in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates over the past few days to inquire about the conditions of their fellow Sardinian citizens. This morning, she also spoke to the authorities by telephone, receiving assurances about the restart. The Sardinia Region has reiterated its willingness to do everything possible to facilitate the safe return of its citizens.

1:00 PM – Iranian military denies drone strike on Azerbaijan

The Iranian military denies launching a drone attack on Azerbaijan.

12:50 PM – Huge explosions in Tel Aviv

Sirens were still going off in Tel Aviv as more missiles were approaching Tel Aviv and central Israel. ANSA confirmed the news on the scene. Shortly thereafter, very loud explosions were heard.

12:30 PM - Macron meets with Meloni and Mitsotakis, who are jointly planning to send military equipment to Cyprus.

In a spirit of European solidarity, the President of the Republic (Emmanuel Macron, ed.) took the initiative this morning to telephone the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, and the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis: sources at the Elysée reported, adding: "They agreed to coordinate the deployment of military assets to Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean and to work together to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Red Sea."

12:20 PM – Tehran: 12,000-seat Azadi Stadium hit

"The 12,000-seat stadium at the Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran has been targeted by the United States and the Israeli regime," the Tehran government announced on its English-language X account. According to IRNA, the structure was damaged and destroyed. The ground floor of the hall, the agency explains, also housed the administrative office of the Azadi Sports Complex.

12:10 PM – The North Atlantic Council meets today on the Iranian threat

According to reports, the North Atlantic Council is meeting today at NATO, which will report on the Alliance's missile defense capabilities following yesterday's incident in Turkey. The focus will be on how NATO can address the threat posed by Iran and its proxies, for example in Lebanon.

12:00 PM – Kremlin: No request for weapons from Tehran

Iran has not asked Russia for any assistance or weapons beyond the political support provided by Moscow, the Kremlin said, according to Interfax. "In this case, there have been no requests from Iran; our consistent position is well known to everyone, and there have been no changes," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

11:35 a.m. – Azerbaijan: Drone hits school

According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, in addition to the drone that struck Nakhchivan Airport, located just a few kilometers from the Iranian border, another crashed near a school in the village of Shakarabad. The runway at Nakhchivan Airport was damaged as a result of the attacks, reports the Nakhchivan correspondent for the Azerbaijani news agency APA, when debris from a drone fell onto the runway, damaging the asphalt surface in several places. One of the drones hit the airport terminal, severely damaging the building, while several others crashed in various places.

The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is an exclave of Azerbaijan bordering Iran, Turkey, and Armenia. Iran and Azerbaijan are neighbors, and their relations are complex for various reasons. One of the most critical issues for Tehran is cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel, at various levels, including energy, trade, and security.

11:06 AM – France approves use of its bases in the Middle East

American aircraft have been authorized to use French bases in the Middle East, the French General Staff announced.

10:50 a.m. – Moscow: "Iran has not requested military assistance."

Russia has not received any request for military assistance from Iran to counter the American and Israeli attacks, the spokesman for the

Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Tass agency.

10:25 a.m. – Moscow: "United front to end the war."

Russia has called for the creation of a "united front to end the war" in the Persian Gulf and warned that it will do "everything possible" within the Security Council and the UN General Assembly to "create an atmosphere that makes it completely impossible"

The operation launched against Iran. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this, quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency.

10:10 – Israel: "300 missile launchers destroyed in Iran"

"The IDF destroyed approximately 300 missile launchers in Iran. Since the beginning of the operation, the Air Force has dropped 4,000 munitions across Iran, in over 1,600 strike missions," an Israeli military spokesman said.

9:45 AM – Iranian drones in Azerbaijan

Iran has launched drone strikes on Nakhchivan International Airport, in the Azerbaijani exclave of the same name. The Azerbaijani government news agency APA reported, adding that other drones fell "in other locations" across the country, without providing further details. Videos from the scene show extensive damage and plumes of black smoke.

9:20 a.m. – Explosions in Qatar and Bahrain

Explosions in the Qatari capital, Doha, and the Bahraini capital, Manama, AFP reports. The Gulf countries have been targeted by repeated waves of Iranian drone and missile strikes as part of Tehran's retaliation for the Israeli-US attacks.

9:00 AM – Iran: "A US oil tanker was hit in the Gulf."

Iran claims to have struck an American oil tanker in the Gulf, state television reported. The British maritime safety agency Ukmtona also reported a tanker hit by a "large explosion" off the coast of Kuwait and a crude oil spill at sea.

8:57 a.m. – Israeli attacks in Lebanon: six dead

Six members of two families have been killed in airstrikes in southern Lebanon, as the Israeli military renews orders to evacuate large areas of the country's south, state media reported.

8:30 a.m. – Meloni: "We're not at war, and we don't want to be one."

"Today we have no request for the bases, and I want to say that we are not at war and we don't want to go to war." Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said this on Radio RTL 102.5. "The conflict is worrying," she added, "especially with Iran's uncontrolled reaction. It is essentially bombing all neighboring countries, including those that had supported an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program. It poses a risk of escalation that could have unpredictable consequences. And I am obviously concerned about the repercussions for Italy."

8:20 a.m. – Iran: "No missiles aimed at Turkey."

The Iranian Army General Staff denied that "a missile was fired toward Turkish territory," adding that "we respect the sovereignty of neighboring Turkey." Furthermore, according to Iranian media reports, Deputy Headquarters Commander Khatam al-Anbiya stated that "we are ready to continue the war and we don't care how long it lasts, as long as we achieve our objectives."

8.02 am – Around 200 Italians have returned to Italy from the Emirates

According to sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, two flights from the Emirates arrived at Ciampino Airport last night—one from Abu Dhabi, one from Dubai—carrying a total of 192 Italians returning from the area directly affected by the war.

7:57 a.m. – Iran: "The US will bitterly regret this."

The United States "will bitterly regret" the precedent it set by sinking an Iranian ship. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in X. "The United States committed an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles off the Iranian coast. The frigate Dena, a guest of the Indian Navy with nearly 130 sailors aboard, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: the United States will bitterly regret the precedent it set."

7:10 a.m. – New Israeli raids on Tehran

The Israeli military announced it had launched new strikes on Tehran. In the hours preceding the attack, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported that several explosions had been heard in the capital and that defenses had been activated.

6:59 AM – US: Democratic resolution to stop war rejected

The Democratic-backed resolution to halt the U.S. military campaign against Iran has been defeated by the U.S. Senate. According to U.S. media reports, the initiative was defeated by a vote of 53 to 43.

ATTACHMENT TWO – FROM YAHOO

NEW IRGC CHIEF TASKED WITH SAVING IRAN FROM CIVIL WAR

BY Akhtar Makoii Fri, March 6, 2026 at 1:01 AM EST

Ahmad Vahidi has been appointed after his predecessor was killed in US strikes on the Iranian leadership - Rouzbeh Fouladi/AFP

He was once tasked with exporting Iran’s Islamic revolution across the Middle East and beyond through dozens of armed proxies.

But Ahmad Vahidi, the new chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), must now focus on a job much closer to home: preserve the regime and stop his country of 93 million people from falling into a civil war.

Facing CIA-backed plots to overthrow the Islamic republic, Baluch militants in the south-east, and Arab grievances in the south-west, as well as relentless air strikes from the United States and Israel, Tehran needs a commander who can crush separatist movements and maintain control.

Mr Vahidi will bring that expertise to the IRGC, the all-powerful branch of Iran’s armed forces in charge of national security.

Appointed as commander of the Quds Force, the IRGC’s external operations arm, in 1988, the 67-year-old was instrumental in building up Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza and Iraqi and Syrian militias.

He knows which tribal leaders respond positively to co-option and which to coercion. He understands proxy warfare and how to manage non-Persian militia.

This expertise matters more now than tactical brilliance, with his appointment signalling that avoiding civil war is more important to Tehran.

Resources will focus on maintaining control in ethnically sensitive regions and suppressing separatist activity, as the IRGC’s recent statements have indicated.

On Thursday, it warned that any “terrorist or separatist activity” would be “suffocated in the cradle” and threatened “destruction” for anyone invading Iran.

“Enemies and deceived counter-revolutionary elements should know ... that if they commit evil against Iran, they will [face] complete destruction,” an IRGC spokesman said.

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Ali Larijani, Iran’s national security council secretary, also warned that any American ground invasion would result in “thousands killed and captured”. “Some American officials have said they intend to enter Iran by land with a few thousand forces,” Mr Larijani said.

“The brave children of Imam Khomeini and Imam Khamenei are waiting for you to disgrace those wicked American officials with several thousand killed and captured. The land of Iran is not a place for the dance of devils.”

The IRGC intelligence organisation also sent texts to millions of phones threatening that “any security-disrupting movement will be considered direct collaboration with the enemy”.

But threats only work when backed by force and Mr Vahidi is no stranger to using it.

During the nationwide 2022 protests, when Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the interior minister, defended security forces shooting protesters in the head by saying “well, shooting at the legs was also done”, Mr Vahidi backed the approach.

VAHIDI’S KNACK FOR SURVIVAL

Mr Vahidi served as defence minister until 2013, then joined the expediency council, which advised the supreme leader. Under Ebrahim Raisi, the former president, Mr Vahidi became interior minister, giving him direct control over domestic security during Iran’s most volatile period since 1979.

Mr Vahidi’s path to IRGC command accelerated in 2024. Israeli strikes in June killed Hossein Salami, the IRGC commander. Mohammad Pakpour replaced him.

Now, with Mr Pakpour dead and the command structure shattered, Mr Vahidi takes full command. He did not earn the position through military brilliance, but through survival – and the ability to survive is what Iran’s leadership needs most.

If the assembly of experts, the body in charge of selecting Iran’s next supreme leader, fractures over succession – with clerics unable to agree on a new head – the IRGC could impose Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali Khamenei’s second son, through military force.

Mr Vahidi is ideal for such a scenario. He lacks the independent power base that would make him a rival to Mojtaba. His expertise lies in suppression rather than strategic vision, making him a tool rather than a threat.

His international isolation means he has nowhere to go if the Islamic Republic falls. This creates absolute loyalty through shared fate.

Most importantly, his appointment by the temporary leadership council suggests these figures see him as manageable. They need an enforcer holding the system together, not a visionary who might seize power independently.

If the assembly of experts selects a supreme leader through constitutional process, Mr Vahidi executes that leader’s directives. If the assembly deadlocks and the IRGC takes power, Mr Vahidi transitions seamlessly to serving military-backed leadership. In either scenario, he survives.

Unlike Qasem Soleimani, who became a public face of the Quds Force, Mr Vahidi has always operated in the shadows. This is his speciality, blurring the lines between official diplomacy and covert operations.

Mr Vahidi inherits command of an armed force whose facilities are being bombed, whose commanders are being killed, and whose retaliatory strikes have been dismissed as “ineffective”.

Before the strikes, he dismissed American carrier groups as “psychological operations” that should be ignored. Hours later, those carrier groups launched attacks that killed his commander and hundreds of others.

The IRGC claimed to have struck the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with four ballistic missiles. True or not, the claim provides an example of Mr Vahidi’s task: projecting strength while absorbing devastating losses.

His mission is not defeating America and Israel in conventional warfare, but keeping the Islamic Republic intact while absorbing punishment.

He must prevent Tehran residents trapped under bombardment from organising against the regime. He must ensure ethnic populations do not exploit central government weakness. He must maintain IRGC cohesion despite leadership losses. He must execute whatever strategy emerges from the succession process.

Whether through extraordinary luck or skill at avoiding bombs, he possesses the primary qualification the regime needs: the ability to be alive when everyone else is dead.

ATTACHMENT THREE – FROM CBS

WHO WILL BE IRAN'S NEXT SUPREME LEADER? ONE NAME STANDS OUT.

By Imtiaz Tyab Updated on: March 5, 2026 / 2:24 PM EST / CBS News

The assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the early hours of the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran has raised a simple but enormously consequential question: Who will replace him?

For nearly four decades, Khamenei sat atop Iran's complex power structure, serving not just as the country's highest religious authority but also as its ultimate political decision-maker. His killing at the sprawling complex that housed his offices and residence in Tehran has created a vacuum in a system designed above all to prevent exactly that kind of instability.

Formally, the decision now rests with Iran's Assembly of Experts, the powerful clerical body tasked with selecting the country's supreme leader. In practice, however, the outcome will almost certainly emerge from a much smaller circle: senior clerics, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the security establishment that has long underpinned the Islamic Republic's power structure.

Several names have already surfaced. But one stands out.

MOJTABA KHAMENEI

The leading contender is Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's second son.

Unlike many figures in Iran's hierarchy, Mojtaba Khameini has never held elected office. But for years he has operated quietly behind the scenes from within his father's office, cultivating influence across the security establishment, particularly within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

He studied theology in Qom and fought as a young volunteer during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, credentials that still carry weight within the revolutionary elite. Yet his authority has largely come from proximity to power rather than his religious stature.

He is believed to have deep relationships with senior figures in the Revolutionary Guard. That matters enormously in Iran's political system, where the Guards wield vast military, economic and political power.

Georgetown University professor and Iran expert Mehran Kamrava, in Doha, said a Mojtaba succession would likely reflect the system's instinct for survival.

"The deep state in the Islamic Republic wants continuity," Kamrava said in an interview. "If Mojtaba indeed is chosen as his father's successor, it would indicate more than anything else that the Islamic Republic is trying to ensure continuity."

During Ali Khamenei's tenure, the supreme leader managed to maintain authority over the Revolutionary Guard despite the organization's enormous power inside the state.

Kamrava believes Mojtaba is seen inside Iran's power structure as someone capable of preserving that balance.

"The assumption inside Iran is that Mojtaba has a similarly superior position in relation to the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards," Kamrava said. 

If he is ultimately selected, it would signal that Iran's ruling elite has chosen stability over experimentation at a moment of extreme pressure.

It would also mark something unprecedented in the Islamic Republic: a leadership transition that effectively keeps power within the same family.

And while Mojtaba may be the frontrunner, he is not the only figure under discussion.

ALI REZA ARAFI

Another prominent name is Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a senior cleric deeply embedded within Iran's religious institutions. Arafi serves on both the Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts and has spent years overseeing Iran's influential network of seminaries in Qom.

Following Khamenei's assassination, Arafi was reportedly elevated to a temporary leadership council tasked with guiding the country during wartime and through the succession process.

SADEQ LARIJANI

Anther potential candidate is Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, a former judiciary chief and member of one of Iran's most powerful political families. Larijani has long been viewed as a plausible successor because of his clerical credentials and deep ties to the country's political establishment.

HASAN KHOMEINI

Some analysts have also pointed to Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Among clerics and reformist circles he commands respect, though his relatively moderate reputation could make him a difficult choice for Iran's hardline establishment.

MOHAMMAD MEHDI MIRBAGHERI 

Hardline cleric Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri has also been floated as a possible contender due to his ideological alignment with the most conservative factions within Iran's political system.

UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES AHEAD

Whoever emerges as the next supreme leader, the circumstances surrounding this leadership transition are unprecedented.

Khamenei was killed during the opening phase of a war that has already expanded beyond Iran's borders, with missile and drone attacks rippling across the Gulf and the broader Middle East.

Several senior Iranian officials were also reportedly killed in the early strikes, eliminating potential successors and further narrowing the field of candidates.

President Trump, meanwhile, said Iranian officials who are working on selecting the next supreme leader are "wasting their time."

"Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela," Mr. Trump said, referring to the interim president who took power after the U.S. captured Nicolás Maduro.

Leadership transitions inside the Islamic Republic are normally carefully choreographed affairs. The last one occurred in 1989 after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and involved intense negotiations among clerical and political elites before Khamenei ultimately emerged as the compromise choice.

This time the process is unfolding in the middle of an active war.

Kamrava believes another factor shaping Iran's future leadership is generational change inside the Revolutionary Guard.

Many of the commanders who defined Iran's military posture for decades were veterans of the Iran-Iraq war. That experience, he said, often made them more pragmatic.

"The commanders of the Revolutionary Guards who were killed were those who had cut their teeth in the Iran-Iraq war," Kamrava said. "They had seen battle close up and they had moderated."

Their replacements, however, represent a different generation.

"The younger generation… are far more radical, far less pragmatic," Kamrava added. 

That shift may ultimately shape Iran's direction more than the identity of the next supreme leader. 

Despite the shock of Khamenei's assassination, few analysts expect Iran's political system to transform overnight. Kamrava was direct when asked whether a leadership transition might bring significant change.

"I don't think we're going to see radical shifts in the way the Islamic Republic conducts itself," he said. 

The system may adjust tactically. In the past, Iranian leaders have loosened certain social restrictions after major crises to ease domestic pressure.

But strategically, the structure of power inside Iran remains intact. Clerics, Revolutionary Guard commanders and security institutions still dominate the state. And their priority, especially in wartime, is stability.

Whoever emerges as Iran's next supreme leader will inherit a country under immense strain: a widening regional war, a battered economy and a population that has repeatedly taken to the streets in protest over the past decade.

The Islamic Republic has survived crises before. But this moment is different. For the first time since the 1979 revolution, Iran's supreme leader has been killed during a war — and the system he helped shape is now being tested in real time.

A4X12 X12 FROM NDTV

Masoud Pezeshkian To Mojtaba Khamenei, A Guide To Iran's Power Players

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint US-Israel attack.

By Patrick Sykes and Dina Esfandiary (Analyst), Bloomberg Mar 07, 2026 15:03 pm IST

.

The killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US and Israeli strikes have mobilised every branch of Iran's sprawling state apparatus in a fight for survival.

Power is carefully distributed among a series of councils, commanders, clerics and civilians. Some are elected, some appointed, but all must jostle for influence under the leader's oversight - and now lobby for their preferred successor.

Here's a run-down of who's who in the Islamic Republic at one of the most pivotal moments in its 47-year history.

ALI LARIJANI

Position: Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council

Political Leaning: Conservative

Larijani is an influential conservative insider, speaker of parliament and nuclear envoy. As a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he has the ear of leaders of the powerful military force. He was close to Khamenei, although a presidential bid in 2024 was blocked by a clerical vetting body. The US imposed additional sanctions on him for his role in the latest crackdown.

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Larijani's profile has grown since his appointment to lead the country's top security body in August, thanks first to the nuclear talks with the US and now to the war that cut them short. Since the start of the conflict, he's been linked to efforts - that he denied - to reach out to Washington for talks.

His brother Sadeq Larijani, a cleric, could also be a potential contender for the supreme leader job. Though he isn't as prominent as other clerics, Sadeq served as chief justice and sat on key bodies like the Guardian Council - which reviews legislation and approves candidates - and the Expediency Discernment Council - which resolves disputes between parliament and the Guardian Council and advises the supreme leader on policy.

MASOUD PEZESHKIAN

Position: President

Political Leaning: Reformer

The formal role of the president is largely confined to domestic economic policy. But Pezeshkian is more important now that he's on the three-person interim council running the country in the absence of a supreme leader.

A reformist, Pezeshkian was elected in 2024 after the death of hardline President Ebrahim Raisi. After the recent protests, he encouraged Khamenei to address public grievances but was unsuccessful - a sign of his limited influence.

GHOLAM-HOSSEIN MOHSENI-EJEI

Position: Chief Justice

Political Leaning: Hardline conservative

The head of the judiciary and second member of the interim leadership council. A hardline cleric appointed by the supreme leader, Ejei had been Khamenei's enforcer. As a prosecutor, he targeted dissenters and dissidents. As intelligence minister, he rooted out what he called "soft subversion" by arresting academics and researchers. 

The EU and US have sanctioned him, alleging human rights abuses. In January, he vowed to speed up the prosecution of protesters.

ALIREZA ARAFI

Position: Interim Leadership Council Member

Political Leaning: Loyalist

Arafi is the third and final person on the interim council. Unlike the president and judiciary chief, who are automatically appointed per the constitution, Arafi is the discretionary third member. He was selected by the Expediency Discernment Council, indicating strong support among elites.

Considered a staunch loyalist aligned with Khamenei, Arafi is less well-known among the public but has strong clerical credentials, having been a leader of Friday prayers in the key seminary city of Qom. He also ran the city's Al-Mustafa International University, which the US sanctioned for being a recruitment platform for the IRGC's expeditionary Quds Force.

MOJTABA KHAMENEI

Position: Heir

Political Leaning: Conservative

Despite the Islamic Republic's ostensible objections to hereditary rule, Khamenei's second-oldest son Mojtaba is considered a strong contender to succeed him as it would send a message of continuity to the world. 

A cleric sanctioned by the US, Mojtaba has become increasingly visible in recent years amid speculation about his aging father and is considered close to the IRGC. He oversees a sprawling investment empire stretching from Tehran to Dubai and Frankfurt, Bloomberg reported in January. He didn't respond to requests for comment at the time.

HASSAN KHOMEINI

Position: Heir

Political Leaning: Moderate loyalist

Another hereditary option for supreme leader would be Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the Islamic Republic's founder Ruhollah Khomeini. 

While a loyalist, he's perceived as a relative moderate for his association with reformists who were increasingly ostracized from power under Khamenei.

MOHAMMED BAGHER QALIBAF

Position: Parliament Speaker

Political Leaning: Conservative

Qalibaf's position in parliament gives him a seat on the influential Supreme National Security Council, and his profile has risen since the 12-day war with Israel and the US last June. 

A conservative, he was previously mayor of Tehran and an IRGC commander. He also ran in several presidential elections, but never got far. He congratulated the Guards for crushing the recent protests, which he described as orchestrated by the US and Israel. 

AHMAD VAHIDI

Position: Commander of the IRGC

Political Leaning: Conservative

A veteran of the Guards, Vahidi previously served as interior and defense minister. He's under an Interpol red notice for his alleged participation in the Jewish community center bombing in Buenos Aires. The US has sanctioned him for his role overseeing the suppression of the 2022 protests.

He was promoted from deputy commander this week after his predecessor Mohammad Pakpour was killed in the opening salvos of the war.

ABBAS ARAGHCHI

Position: Foreign Minister

Political Leaning: Moderate technocrat

A respected and experienced career diplomat - both inside and outside the country - Araghchi is considered a pragmatic technocrat. 

He has worked for different administrations, pushed for talks with the US and led nuclear negotiations, while cautioning in the latest round that the Islamic Republic was prepared for war if necessary. He's also a former IRGC member and a staunch supporter of the Islamic Republic's core policies. 

ALI MOVAHEDI-KERMANI

Position: Head of the Assembly of Experts

Political Leaning: Hardliner 

Movahedi-Kermani chairs the Assembly of Experts, an 88-person clerical body that's responsible for appointing and overseeing the supreme leader. It's never challenged him in practice, and members have instead functioned as advisers to the leader.

The assembly is publicly elected. Mohavedi-Kermani became chairman in 2024 after tightly controlled elections marked by mass disqualifications. 

Other prominent hardline members with the religious credentials required to become supreme leader include Mohammad Mahdi Mirbagheri and Ahmad Khatami.

ATTACHMENT FIVE – FROM AL JAZEERA

WHO COULD SUCCEED AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI TO LEAD IRAN?

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s assassination brings Iran’s clerics the colossal task of picking his successor. They have only done so once, four decades ago.

By Yashraj Sharma Published On 1 Mar 20261 Mar 2026

The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli air attacks has thrust Tehran to a pivotal crossroads as the ruling establishment looks to pick the late supreme leader’s successor.

Several senior leaders close to Khamenei were also killed in the attack, including his top security adviser Ali Shamkhani and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander-in-chief Mohammad Pakpour.

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Tehran on Sunday targeted more sites in Gulf countries in retaliation as it vowed to avenge the killing of Khamenei. Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump has warned against the retaliatory attacks and suggested that the strikes on Iran would continue.

The US-Israeli attacks were launched on Saturday despite several rounds of diplomatic engagement with Tehran that raised hopes of a deal on its nuclear programme.

The assassination of Khamenei, who took power in 1989, has left Iran’s top leadership to prepare for the transfer of power at a time when the US, the world’s strongest military power, has pledged to dismantle the ruling structure established following Iran’s 1979 revolution.

So, who will be the next supreme leader of Iran? And how will he be chosen?

HOW IS THE SUPREME LEADER SELECTED?

Iran’s supreme leader is selected by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body elected by the public every eight years.

Candidates who run for the Assembly must first be vetted and approved by the Guardian Council, a powerful oversight body whose members are partly appointed by the supreme leader himself.

When the position becomes vacant, due to death or resignation, the Assembly of Experts convenes to choose a successor. A simple majority is sufficient to appoint the new supreme leader.

As per Iran’s constitution, the candidate must be a senior jurist with deep knowledge of jurisprudence in Shia Islam, as well as qualities such as political judgement, courage, and administrative capability.

Earlier, there had been only one other transfer of power in the office of the supreme leader of Iran, when Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, died at age 86 in 1989.

WHAT HAPPENS IN IRAN DURING A LEADERSHIP VACUUM?

Article 111 of Iran’s constitution mandates that a temporary council handle duties until a new supreme leader is elected.

That council will include President Masoud Pezeshkian, Supreme Court Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, and a cleric from the Guardian Council, according to Iranian media. Ayatollah Alireza Arafi from the Guardian Council, 67, was on Sunday appointed to the three-member temporary council.

They will lead the country until the assembly formally picks the new supreme leader.

Iran’s security chief and a close confidante of the late Khamenei, Ali Larijani, said on Sunday that the transition process is under way.

Luciano Zaccara, a research associate professor in Gulf politics at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that Iran’s political system has been prepared for the current situation, knowing that Khamenei’s assassination was a real possibility.

“Trump wants to get the best deal possible, but the method he’s using to get that deal is to annihilate or destroy as much as he can,” Zaccara said. “This is the way to impose conditions, not to negotiate anything. Trump wants a surrender of the regime, not a change.”

To avoid a vacuum of power, the late Khamenei kept replacements for all the officials eliminated in the last few months ready, and made sure to put in a structure, Zaccara told Al Jazeera.

“The structures remain, the line of power [and] the line of command remain in place,” he said.

(Al Jazeera)

Who is the supreme leader of Iran?

The supreme leader is the top position in the Islamic Republic’s political and religious hierarchy under the velayat-e faqih system – the principle of the guardianship of the Islamic jurist.

He is essentially the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and the final word in the country – and appoints key judicial, military, and media officials. He also leads the mighty IRGC.

Here are the contenders for the top job in Tehran

MOJTABA KHAMENEI

Khamenei’s second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is among the top contenders to succeed his father as the next supreme leader.

He is known to wield significant influence among the administrators and the IRGC, the most powerful military body.

However, Khamenei’s lineage is also among the biggest barriers he faces. He was reportedly opposed to the father-to-son succession. It is frowned upon in Iran, particularly after the US-backed monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was toppled in 1979.

ALIREZA ARAFI

Arafi, a 67-year-old cleric, is an influential figure in the Islamic Republic’s religious establishment, but not a widely accepted political actor.

He serves as the deputy chairman of the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for overseeing the selection of the supreme leader, and has been a member of the Guardian Council, which vets election candidates and laws passed by parliament.

Arafi was appointed as ⁠the jurist member of ⁠Iran’s Leadership Council, the body tasked with fulfilling the supreme leader’s role until the Assembly of Experts elects a new leader, Iran’s state media reported on Sunday.

He is also the Friday prayer leader of Qom – Iran’s most important religious centre – and heads the country’s seminary system, overseeing clerical education nationwide.

MOHAMMAD MEHDI MIRBAGHERI

Mirbagheri is an ultra-hardline clerical voice in the establishment and a member of the Assembly of Experts.

He is widely known for his world view critical of the West – and currently heads the Islamic Sciences Academy in the northern city of Qom.

GHOLAM-HOSSEIN MOHSENI-EJEI

Mohseni-Ejei is a senior Iranian cleric and currently heads the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, appointed to the role in July 2021 by the late Khamenei.

He previously served as minister of intelligence from 2005 to 2009 and later as prosecutor-general and first deputy chief justice. He is regarded as a hardline figure aligned with the conservative wing of the regime.

HASSAN KHOMEINI

Khomeini, 54, is among the most discussed names in succession talks for the next supreme leader.

He is the grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, and also the custodian of his grandfather’s mausoleum in Tehran.

While he has not held a public office, Khomeini is a reformist figure known for his rather moderate views on public life and policy. He attempted to run for the Assembly of Experts in 2016, but the vetting council disqualified him.

ATTACHMENT SIX – FROM MIDDLE EAST FORUM

THE FUTILE SEARCH FOR MODERATES WITHIN THE IRANIAN REGIME

The Islamic Republic May Be Portraying Certain Leaders as Pragmatists as Part of a Deliberate Campaign

By Shay Khatiri March 9, 2026

In 2007, Robert Gates recalled his time in government when, in 1979, the new revolutionary regime took fifty-two American diplomats hostage for 444 days and mocked the U.S. government’s response to it: “Thus began my now 28-year-long quest for the elusive Iranian moderate.” Nineteen years later, the search continues with additional irony: Iranians no longer accept a moderate Islamic Republic, while the regime’s “reformers” are yesterday’s hardliners. Yet this futile idea has united an unlikely coalition of believers that spans from President Donald Trump to the mainstream press to the progressive left.

On March 5, 2026, Trump said that he was looking for “someone from within” the regime to elevate to the top. Some Iran observers and mainstream media refer to figures like Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the parliament, as pragmatists. This might be part of a deliberate campaign by the Islamic Republic. Arash Azizi, a humanities fellow at Yale University and a member of the Iranian diaspora, wrote for The Atlantic, “Larijani and Qalibaf have made plenty of harsh statements of their own about Israel and America, but they both incline toward pragmatism.” He added, “They know full well how little ammunition (real and metaphorical) Iran has for fighting a prolonged war.” The problem with little ammunition is that the regime can make more if it wants to, and the pragmatists in Iran often do.

Khamenei ruled Iran for nearly two generations and allocated power to those aligned with his vision.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ruled Iran for nearly two generations. Stanford University historian Abbas Milani writes that the focus of Khamenei’s politics was anti-Zionism and anti-Americanism. Unlike his predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei was not a religious scholar but a political activist cleric. He translated four of Muslim Brotherhood theorist Sayyid Qutb’s books, all of which denounce Jews and Israel. He was one of the founders of the Combatant Clergy Society. On his watch, the clergy’s primary role became legitimizing the regime’s foreign policy. Seminary leader Ayatollah Alireza Arafi even bemoaned how security forces can now veto the clergy. Khamenei ruled Iran for nearly two generations and allocated power to those aligned with his vision.

Khamenei’s repeated purges of dissenting clerics mean that those who have risen through the ranks of the regime have “applied faith” in the late supreme leader and his vision, especially Larijani and Ghalibaf, both retired Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps generals.

Khamenei liked a rotating cast of characters in the regime. Presidents, prime ministers (before the office was dissolved), and speakers of the parliament usually retired into obscurity if they were obedient; he had the regime security apparatus persecute them if they were not. Nineteen men have held these positions. Beyond Khamenei himself, only two Larijani and Ghalibaf still hold political power—not because they are pragmatic, but because Khamenei trusted their loyalty and competence.

Larijani had been in the background for five years, despite his close relationship with and support from Khamenei. He returned to prominence after the June 2025 Twelve-Day War, giving a television interview in which he denounced “the enemy” in the fullest sense and praised regime resilience. Khamenei rewarded him by appointing him to lead the Supreme National Security Council. In that capacity, Larijani oversaw the January 2026 massacre.

President Masoud Pezeshkian may lead the three-man interim Supreme Leadership Council, in accordance with the constitution, yet he is powerless in practice. On March 7, 2026, he said that, moving forward, Iran would only target neighbors if their soil had been used for attacks by the United States. Hardline backlash began before he finished the speech, with one parliamentarian saying it would be best if Pezeshkian never spoke until the war was over. Immediately after the speech, hardline Telegram channels reported strikes on the Dubai Airport.

Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje’i, also a member of the council, “clarified” that “the enemy controls neighboring countries’ geography and heavy attacks against them will continue.” The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ economic wing “thanked” Pezeshkian for his remarks and asked him to go fly a kite. “I reiterate that we have not attacked the public and government infrastructure of neighbors so far and will continue to only attack U.S. and Zionist targets,” he said. Ghalibaf doubled down on Khamenei, declaring, “Our policies continue to be in accord with our martyred supreme leader, and as long as there are American bases in the region, countries will not find peace—all decision makers [in Iran] are united about this.” Larijani pushed back, too: “Arab countries should either stop the Americans from using their territories to attack us themselves, or we will do it.”

The guys with guns have an internal rival: the clergy, whose power peaked under Khomeini before eroding in the face of the Revolutionary Guard’s rise. While the clergy may not have superior power, they do enjoy some immunity, simply because of the clerical nature of the regime.

Arafi and Larijani have been at odds before. Arafi even went so far as to use his Guardian Council position to disqualify Larijani from running for president twice. While Arafi justified his veto on Larijani’s daughter’s residence in the United States, the real reason was likely Arafi’s fear that Larijani would give the security forces even more power than they already have. Such tensions represent an ongoing debate within the regime about whether to prioritize Islamism at home or export revolution abroad.

Pragmatists within the regime are tactically flexible. During the recent negotiations with the United States, overseen by Larijani, Iran offered to freeze uranium enrichment for three years, just in time for the Trump administration to expire. Ideologically, however, Larijani remains an ideologue. “You have hurt us emotionally in a way that we will never leave you alone,” Larijani reportedly declared on March 7, 2026.

New figures may emerge and claim the mantle of moderation, but among regime officials, ideology will always triumph.

ATTACHMENT SEVEN – FROM NATIONAL REVIEW

AYATOLLAH NEPO BABY

By Jim Geraghty March 9, 2026 11:18 AM

225 Comments

I would not pretend to be a constitutional scholar when it comes to Iran, and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini is just about the last expert I would cite on anything, other than how to have a disastrous funeral. (It’s understandable that mourners might want a souvenir or keepsake from the ceremony, but it’s problematic when they try to walk off with the corpse.)

But the declaration that Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will be Iran’s next Supreme Leader does make the country’s leadership look a bit more like a hereditary monarchy.

Ayatollah Khomeini wrote in 1970, “Islam proclaims monarchy and hereditary succession wrong and invalid. . . . Islam, then, does not recognize monarchy and hereditary succession; they have no place in Islam.” Under the Iranian Constitution, when there is an opening in the position of Supreme Leader, the Assembly of Experts is supposed to find the figure who is best in “scholarship, as required for performing the functions of religious leader in different fields; justice and piety, as required for the leadership of the Islamic Ummah; and right political and social perspicacity, prudence, courage, administrative facilities, and adequate capability for leadership.”

Apparently, in an amazing coincidence, the assembly of experts determined that in a country of 93 million people, the figure who best meets those criteria just happens to be the son of the previous ayatollah! What are the odds?

Now, I know this is going to shock you, but there’s some evidence that Mojtaba Khamenei might not be the most qualified and pious religious leader. From Janes information services:

Despite Mojtaba’s links to the Supreme Leader’s office and his wide network, he lacks the highest level of religious credentials and standing that would normally be required of a Supreme Leader.

Indeed, although he has studied in the seminaries of Qom under prominent conservative scholars, he is not classified as a Mujtahid. A Mujtahid is a senior cleric with the rank of Ayatollah who possesses the religious authority and ability to conduct Ijtihad which is the doctrine of interpreting religious texts and make prescriptions on that interpretation. However, his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also did not hold the highest level of religious credentials and the constitution of Iran was amended in order to allow him to be Supreme Leader.

I’m starting to think nepotism played a factor in his selection.

Mojtaba Khamenei is described as a hardliner, but let’s face it, you don’t see a lot of soft and moderate ayatollahs.

Keep in mind, the Iranian regime violates the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran on a daily basis. Among the provisions in the constitution:

· “The government must ensure the rights of women in all respects.”

· “The dignity, life, property, rights, residence, and occupation of the individual are inviolate.”

· “The investigation of individuals’ beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.”

· “All forms of torture for the purpose of extracting confession or acquiring information are forbidden.”

The Iranian constitution is effectively just there for decoration, so it’s not surprising that after breaking almost every other provision, the regime would evolve into a de facto hereditary monarchy, not all that different from the Shah’s regime that they overthrew.

Next Post No, Trump Cannot Unilaterally Reinstitute the Draft

ATTACHMENT EIGHT – FROM YAHOO NEWS

A SON OF IRAN'S LATE SUPREME LEADER IS A POSSIBLE CANDIDATE TO REPLACE HIS FATHER AS WAR RAGES

By Jon Gambrell Wed, March 4, 2026 at 12:40 p.m. EST

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has long been considered a contender to the post of the country's next paramount ruler — even before an Israeli strike killed his father at the start of the war last week and despite the fact he's has never been elected or appointed to a government position.

A secretive figure within the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since Saturday, when the Israeli airstrike targeting the supreme leader's offices killed his 86-year-old father. Also killed were the younger Khamenei's wife, Zahra Haddad Adel, who came from a family long associated with the country's theocracy.

Khamenei is believed to still be alive and likely has gone into hiding as American and Israeli airstrikes continue to pound Iran, though state-run Iranian media have not reported on his whereabouts.

PROFILE OF KHAMENEI'S SON RISES AFTER AIRSTRIKE

Mojtaba Khamenei's name continues to circulate as a possible candidate to replace his father, something that had been criticized in the past as potentially creating a theocratic version of Iran's former hereditary monarchy.

But now with his father and wife considered by hard-liners as martyrs in the war against America and Israel, Khamenei's stock likely has risen with the aging clerics of the 88-seat Assembly of Experts who will select the country's next supreme leader.

Whoever becomes the leader will gain control of an Iranian military now at war and a stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could be used to build a nuclear weapon — should he choose to decree it.

Khamenei had occupied a similar role to that of Ahmad Khomeini, a son of Iran's first Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini — "a combination of aide-de-camp, confidant, gatekeeper and power broker,” according to United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S.-based pressure group.

BORN INTO DISSENT

Born in 1969 in the city of Mashhad, some 10 years before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that would sweep Iran, Khamenei grew up as his father agitated against Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

An official biography on Ali Khamenei's life recounts one moment when the shah's secret police, the SAVAK, broke into their home and beat the cleric. Woken up after, Mojtaba and the rest of Khamenei's children were told their father was going on vacation.

“But I told them, ‘There is no need to lie.’ I told them the truth," the elder Khamenei was quoted as saying.

After the fall of the shah, Khamenei's family moved to Tehran, Iran's capital. Khamenei would go on to fight in the Iran-Iraq war with the Habib ibn Mazahir Battalion, a division of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard that would see several of its members ascend to powerful intelligence positions within the force — likely with the backing of the Khamenei family.

His father became supreme leader in 1989 — and soon Mojtaba Khamenei and his family had access to the billions of dollars and business assets spread across Iran's many bonyads, or foundations, funded from state industries and other wealth once held by the shah.

POWER RISES WITH HIS FATHER'S

His own power rose alongside his father's, working within his offices in downtown Tehran. U.S. diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s began referring to the younger Khamenei as “the power behind the robes.” One recounted an allegation that Khamenei actually tapped his own father's phone, served as his “principal gatekeeper” and had been forming his own power base within the country.

Khamenei “is widely viewed within the regime as a capable and forceful leader and manager who may someday succeed to at least a share of national leadership; his father may also see him in that light,” a 2008 cable read, also noting his lack of theological qualifications and age.

“Mojtaba is, however, due to his skills, wealth, and unmatched alliances, reportedly seen by a number of regime insiders as a plausible candidate for shared leadership of Iran upon his father’s demise, whether that demise is soon or years in the future,” it said.

Khamenei has worked closely with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, both with commanders of its expeditionary Quds Force and its all-volunteer Basij that violently suppressed nationwide protests in January, the U.S. Treasury has said.

The United States sanctioned him in 2019 during the first term of U.S President Donald Trump over working to “advance his father’s destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives.”

That includes allegations that Khamenei from behind the scenes supported the election of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005 and his disputed re-election in 2009 that sparked the Green Movement protests.

Mahdi Karroubi, who was a presidential candidate in 2005 and 2009, denounced Khamenei as “a master's son” and alleged he interfered in both votes. His father reportedly at the time said Khamenei was “a master himself, not a master’s son."

POWERS OF SUPREME LEADER AT STAKE

There has been only one other transfer of power in the office of supreme leader of Iran, the paramount decision-maker since the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died at age 86 after being the figurehead of the revolution and leading Iran through its eight-year war with Iraq.

Now the new leader will come on board after the 12-day war with Israel and as a U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is seeking to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat and military power, hoping also the Iranian people will rise up against the Iranian theocracy.

The supreme leader is at the heart of Iran’s complex power-sharing Shiite theocracy and has final say over all matters of state. He also serves as the commander-in-chief of the country’s military and the Guard, a paramilitary force that the United States designated a terrorist organization in 2019, and which his father empowered during his rule.

The Guard, which has led the self-described “Axis of Resistance,” a series of militant groups and allies across the Middle East meant to counter the U.S. and Israel, also has extensive wealth and holdings in Iran. It also controls the country's ballistic missile arsenal.

Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press

ALI KHAMENEI’S SON MOJTABA FAVOURITE TO SUCCEED HIM AS IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER

Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor Wed, March 4, 2026 at 7:08 a.m. EST

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the assassinated Ali Khamenei, is being heavily tipped to succeed his father as supreme leader of Iran, which would pitch a hardliner into the task of steering the Islamic republic through the most turbulent period in its 48-year history and offer a powerful signal that, for now, it has no intention of changing course.

No official confirmation has been given and the announcement may be delayed until after the funeral of Ali Khamenei, which was on Wednesday postponed.

His son is believed to have been the choice of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Israeli defence minister, Gideon Saar, has warned he will be assassinated.

Ayatollah Seyed Khatani, a member of the Assembly of Experts, the body that chooses the new supreme leader, said the assembly was close to selecting a leader.

Rigid in his anti-western views, Mojtaba Khamenei is not the candidate Donald Trump would have wanted. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said on Tuesday that Iran was run by “religious fanatic lunatics” – and Khamenei’s appointment is hardly likely to dispel that opinion.

The choice of supreme leader is made by the 88-strong Assembly of Experts, who in this case are picking from a field of six possible candidates. His election would be a powerful if unsurprising symbol that the government is not looking to find an accommodation with America.

Trump has said the worst-case scenario would be if Khamenei’s successor was “as bad as the previous person”.

There has been speculation for more than a decade that he would be his father’s successor, which grew when Ebrahim Raisi, the elected president and favourite of Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash.

Mojtaba Khamenei was born in 1969 and studied theology after graduating from high school. At the age of 17, he went to serve in the Iran-Iraq war, but it was not until the late 1990s that he came to be recognised as a public figure in his own right.

After the landslide defeat of Khamenei’s preferred candidate, Ali Akbar Nategh Nuri, in the 1997 presidential election, where he won only 25% of the final vote, various conservative Iranian groups realised the need to make changes to their structures and Mojtaba Khamenei was central to that project.

Related: Israel carries out fresh strikes on Tehran and Beirut as Iran targets US bases in Gulf

He was also seen as instrumental by reformists in suppressing the protests in 2009 that came after allegations the presidential election had been rigged, with his name chanted in the streets as one of those responsible. Mostafa Tajzadeh, a senior member of Iran’s reformist parties who was imprisoned after the vote, alleged that his and his wife, Fakhr al-Sadat Mohtashamipour’s, legal case was under the direct supervision of Mojtaba Khamenei.

In 2022 he was given the title of ayatollah – essential to his promotion. By then he was a regular figure by his father’s side at political meetings, as well as playing an influential role in the Islamic Republic’s Broadcasting Corporation, the government’s official media outlet often criticised for churning out dull political propaganda that many Iranians reject in favour of overseas satellite channels. He has also played a central role in the administration of his father’s substantial financial empire.

His closest political allies are Ahmad Vahidi, the newly appointed IRGC commander; Hossein Taeb, a former head of the IRGC’s intelligence organisation; and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current speaker of the parliament.

His rumoured appointment and its hereditary nature has long been resisted by reformists. The former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, referring to the long history of rumours about Mojtaba Khamenei succeeding his father as leader, wrote in 2022: “News of this conspiracy have been heard for 13 years. If they are not truly pursuing it, why don’t they deny such an intention once and for all?”

The Assembly of Experts, in response, denounced “meaninglessness of doubts” and said the assembly would select only “the most qualified and the most suitable”.

Israel on Tuesday struck the building in the Iranian city of Qom, one of Shia Islam’s main seats of power, where the assembly was scheduled, but the building was empty, according to IRGC-affiliated media.

ATTACHMENT NINE – FROM NEWS 18 (INDIA)

‘IRANIANS HAVE CALLED ON ME’: REZA PAHLAVI SAYS HE’S ACCEPTED TO LEAD IRAN AFTER KHAMENEI’S DEATH

Curated By Aanchal Sinha Last Updated: March 07, 2026, 08:12 IST

Pahlavi is the eldest son of Iran’s last Shah, and is widely seen as the most prominent figure in the opposition to the country’s Islamic Republic government.

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last Shah, has said that the Iranian people have asked him to lead a political transition in the country and has called on Arab nations to recognise a future transitional government.

Pahlavi said he had accepted the responsibility after receiving calls from Iranians inside and outside the country urging him to guide the country through a potential post-regime transition.

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“The Iranian people have called on me to lead the transition after the regime is gone. I have accepted that responsibility," he said.

“Part of their great mandate to me is to return our nation and our foreign relations to normalcy. I will do exactly that. My commitment is to ensure the transition is orderly, the country is stabilized, and Iranians determine their future through the ballot box. Iranians have made their choice — at an enormous price. Now I ask our friends in the Arab world to join us. To prepare to recognize and engage our transitional government," Pahlavi said in a video statement posted on his X account.

Pahlavi is the eldest son of Iran’s last Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and is widely seen as the most prominent figure in the opposition to the country’s Islamic Republic government.

He has repeatedly urged people to protest against the Islamic Republic, while advocating the removal of the current regime from power and calling for closer ties with the Western world and Israel.

Born in 1960, Pahlavi has lived in exile since the 1979 revolution and has emerged as a prominent voice within the Iranian opposition, advocating secular governance, human rights and democratic reforms in the country. Over time, he has portrayed himself as a symbol of change for Iranians seeking an alternative to the clerical leadership in Tehran.

ATTACHMENT TEN – FROM FOX

EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE SAYS US STRIKES MARK 'BEGINNING OF THE VERY END' FOR REGIME

Reza Pahlavi says he will lead transition to democracy with coalition of forces inside Iran

By Max Bacall  Published  March 1, 2026 3:00pm EST

Exiled Iranian crown prince praises ayatollah's death as 'game-changer' for nation

Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi joined 'Sunday Morning Futures' to discuss the transition of power in Iran following the death of Ayatollah Khamenei amid the coordinated U.S.-Israeli operation.

Exiled Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi said recent U.S. strikes against the Islamic Republic mark "the beginning of the very end of the regime," declaring it was time for the people of Iran to take back their country.

"There's no question that this is the game changer we've been waiting for all this time. The jubilation of Iranians at home and abroad shows how much people were hoping for this moment," he said during "Sunday Morning Futures."

"We are so elated of the fact that now we have the beginning of the very end of the regime, because at least we are going to see more and more decimation of this regime, which can only equal the playing field, so that the Iranian people could come back to the streets and claim their country back from this hated regime."

FETTERMAN PRAISES TRUMP'S IRAN OPERATION AS 'HISTORIC' MOMENT FOR AMERICA AMID PARTY DIVISIONS

This goes further than previous interventions that had smaller goals, like setting back Iran's nuclear program, Pahlavi said.

"This is like full decapitation of the regime, and ultimately what will expedite its total collapse. The Iranian people have suffered too much to settle for anything less than that," he said. 

EXILED CROWN PRINCE CALLS ON IRANIAN PEOPLE TO 'FINISH THE JOB,' CHEERS TRUMP'S 'HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION'

With regime change possibly at hand, Pahlavi has set his sights on the transition of power from theocracy to democracy.

He said he would lead the transition, which will be facilitated by a coalition of forces including people inside Iran and the country's military. 

He estimated the transition would last for "a period that should not be longer than a couple of years at the most."

"I've been working with a number of Iranians from across the spectrum that are united in this on this purpose. We have the most diverse coalition of people dedicated to that process, representing different parts of the country, including religious minorities, ethnic groups that are all aligned in this national project that we have," he said.

Max Bacall is an Associate Editor for the Flash/Media/Culture team at Fox News Digital.

ATTACHMENT ELEVEN – FROM AL JAZEERA

WHO IS REZA PAHLAVI? THE EXILED ‘PRINCE’ URGING IRANIANS TO ‘SEIZE CITIES’

The son of the last shah has shifted from advocating civil disobedience to calling for a direct takeover of city centres, drawing accusations of ‘terrorism’ from Iran.

By Mohammad Mansour Published On 12 Jan 2026

For decades, Reza Pahlavi was the polite face of the Iranian opposition in exile – a former fighter pilot who spoke of nonviolent resistance and secular democracy from his home in the United States.

But this weekend, the tone of the 65-year-old heir to the Peacock Throne and son of Iran’s last shah changed dramatically.

Analysis: How Saudi Arabia and Iran became rivals

In a direct challenge to the Iranian government, Pahlavi called on Iranians to “seize city centres” and prepare for his imminent return, prompting what Iranian state media described as “armed terrorist attacks” across the country.

“Our goal is no longer merely to come into the streets,” Pahlavi declared in a statement released on his X account. “The goal is to prepare to seize city centres and hold them.”

FROM HEIR TO EXILE

Pahlavi was born in Tehran on October 31, 1960, seven years after the US and the UK engineered a coup against Iran’s then-elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, who had nationalised the assets of the Anglo-Persian oil company, now known as BP, in 1951.

In a direct challenge to the Iranian government, Pahlavi called on Iranians to “seize city centres” and prepare for his imminent return, prompting what Iranian state media described as “armed terrorist attacks” across the country.

“Our goal is no longer merely to come into the streets,” Pahlavi declared in a statement released on his X account. “The goal is to prepare to seize city centres and hold them.”

Pahlavi completed his training and later earned a degree in political science from the University of Southern California. During the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, he famously volunteered to serve as a fighter pilot for his country but was rejected by the authorities in Tehran.

He has lived in exile ever since, residing in the US with his wife, Yasmine Pahlavi, and their three daughters.

‘PREPARING TO RETURN’

For more than 40 years, Pahlavi advocated for a referendum and nonviolent change. However, his rhetoric has sharpened significantly in recent days.

On Saturday, he urged workers in key sectors — transport, oil, and gas — to launch nationwide strikes to “cut off the financial lifelines” of the state. He specifically called on the “youth of the Immortal Guard” — the erstwhile imperial forces — and security forces to defect.

“I, too, am preparing to return to the homeland so that at the time of our national revolution’s victory, I can be beside you,” he stated.

His call to action comes amid reports of the largest antigovernment protests in years. Pahlavi asked supporters to hoist the pre-1979 “Lion and Sun” flag, a symbol of his father’s rule, and to occupy public spaces starting from 6pm local time (14:30 GMT).

‘TERRORIST’ ACCUSATIONS

The response from Tehran has been furious. On Sunday, state-affiliated media outlets labelled the protests as a “new phase of insecurity” and an “internal armed war”.

A report by the conservative Vatan-e Emrooz newspaper, cited by the Tasnim news agency, described Pahlavi’s call as cover for “terrorist nuclei” to attack police and Basij forces.

“Do not be mistaken; this is not merely a riot … these were armed terrorist attacks,” the report stated, claiming that dozens of security personnel had been killed.

Officials have linked Pahlavi’s escalation to foreign interference, specifically accusing the US and Israel. They claimed the unrest is a “Plan B” by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the conclusion of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in May last year.

‘OPPOSITION AGAINST THE OPPOSITION’?

While Pahlavi has found renewed popularity on the streets, he faces sharp criticism from within the fractured Iranian opposition.

Alireza Nader, an Iran expert, argued in a recent article that Pahlavi’s political activities have become divisive. Critics accuse his circle of attacking other prominent dissidents, such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, labelling them “leftists” or “terrorists”.

“Pahlavi has doubled down on his advisors despite others’ unease about them,” Nader wrote, questioning whether the prince has become “the opposition against the opposition”.

There are also concerns about manipulation. Nader noted that Pahlavi’s online support is partly driven by cyber-armies linked to the Iranian government, designed to sow discord, raising questions about “who is co-opting whom”.

Despite these internal rifts, Pahlavi remains the most visible figurehead for the current wave of unrest. With the Trump administration maintaining a hands-off approach — asserting it is “up to Iranians to choose their own leaders” — and the streets of Tehran burning, the exiled prince appears to be making his final gamble for the throne he lost 47 years ago.

ATTACHMENT TWELVE – FROM AXIOS

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT REZA PAHLAVI, A POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR TO LEAD IRAN

By Julianna Bragg Feb 28, 2026

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled former crown prince of Iran, is positioning himself as the "transitional" leader if the Islamic Republic collapses.

The big picture: Pahlavi has voiced confidence in President Trump and previously met with administration officials to address unrest inside Iran — relationships that could bolster his standing after the U.S.-Israel strike on Iran on Saturday.

"The assistance that the President of the United States had promised to the brave people of Iran has now arrived," Pahlavi posted in a video statement. "This is a humanitarian intervention, and its target is the Islamic Republic, its apparatus of repression, and its machinery of killing—not the country and great nation of Iran."

The latest: The U.S. and Israel began "major combat operations" in Iran overnight with the aim of destroying the country's military capabilities and fostering regime change

Trump encouraged Iranians to stay in their homes during the bombing and "when we are finished, take over your government, it will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations."

The strikes came after diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran about Iran's nuclear capabilities failed.

Pahlavi called for Trump "to exercise the utmost possible caution to preserve the lives of civilians and my compatriots. The people of Iran are your natural allies and the allies of the free world, and they will not forget your assistance during the most difficult period of Iran's contemporary history."

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT IRAN'S OPPOSITION LEADER.

FROM CROWN PRINCE TO EXILE

Born in Tehran in 1960, Pahlavi was thrust into public life at age 7 when he was formally named crown prince during his father's coronation.

By 17, he had become Iran's youngest pilot, though he left for the U.S. shortly after to train as a jet fighter — and never returned.

The 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the monarchy and overthrew his father while Pahlavi was abroad, barring him from ever returning home.

He has lived in exile in the U.S. ever since, with his wife Yasmine Etemad-Amini and their three children.

BUILDING AN OPPOSITION PLATFORM

Pahlavi has built his platform around replacing the Islamic Republic with a secular, democratic system.

He has also advocated for separating religion from the state and instituting free and fair elections.

Despite some Iranians' concerns that Pahlavi wants to return to the authoritarian rule of his father, he said he will not seek an automatic restoration of the constitutional monarchy.

"Whatever the majority of the Iranian people decide, their representative in a constitutional assembly will be tasked with the responsibility to draft a Constitution of this next system," Pahlavi said during a January press briefing.

Yes, but: Iranians remain sharply divided on Pahlavi, raising questions about how much legitimacy he would command inside the country.

In public opinion polls run over the last few years, including as recently as November 2025, around one-third of Iranians supported Pahlavi while another one-third strongly opposed him, according to Dutch pollster Ammar Maleki. Pahlavi's popularity exceeds that of any other Iranian opposition figure.

PREPARING FOR REGIME COLLAPSE

The most recent round of protests in Iran, which began in late December, was spurred by the collapse of the country's national currency and international sanctions leading to economic instability.

Some 7,000 to 30,000 Iranians protesting have been killed, though exact estimates remain unclear.

Though, Trump in January repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iran killed protesters, he delayed his decision as aides and allies like Israel expressed doubts that U.S. airstrikes would actually challenge the stability of the regime.

Pahlavi previously asked the U.S. for strikes on the "architecture of repression" — including targets related to command-and-control of the Revolutionary Guards.

What they're saying: He told Fox News on Wednesday that he believes the regime is at a critical turning point, acknowledging that economic sanctions and geopolitical struggles have put the government on its "last leg."

Though Pahlavi has been advocating for nonviolent change for more than 40 years, he's recently changed his tune, calling for Iranian's to take a more aggressive stance to fight back against the regime.

Pahlavi in January encouraged protesters to continue taking to the streets and "claim public spaces" as their own.

What we're watching: Pahlavi on Friday released an updated version of the Emergency Phase Booklet of his Iran Prosperity Project, which he calls a component of his strategy to reclaim and rebuild the nation.

The booklet focuses on Iran's immediate needs in the first six months of the regime collapse — an even greater signal that Pahlavi is prepared to step in if the situation arises.

Go deeper: Iran's exiled crown prince implores Trump to strike regime

ATTACHMENT THIRTEEN – FROM POLITICO
REZA PAHLAVI MAKES HIS PITCH TO LEAD IRAN

His pitch to the White House? MIGA: Make Iran Great Again. And there’s money to be made with Pahlavi as a partner.

By Gregory Svirnovskiy 03/01/2026 11:49 AM EST

With Iran’s leadership reeling from attacks from American and Israeli troops, Reza Pahlavi is arguing that he is best positioned to take over the country in the aftermath of war.

Pahlavi, the oldest son of Iran’s last shah, is a longtime political activist living in exile in the U.S. On Sunday, he told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo that he has the support and mandate necessary to helm a transitional government in Iran, after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.

“I have the support of millions of Iranian people,” he said on “Sunday Morning Futures.” “I have the people inside the country that are joining and broadening the coalition of forces that will be at play in filling the boxes. The military will side with us, and we have a plan of action and a transition plan.”

His pitch to the White House? MIGA: Make Iran Great Again. And there’s money to be made with Pahlavi as a partner.

“Just by a change that we hope to bring to the table, that will be probably over a trillion dollars worth of impact and revenue to the American economy, just by Iran’s market being opened to America and how much we stand to benefit from billions of dollars willing to be invested into Iran,” he told Bartiromo. “All that was needed was for this regime to no longer be there, and I think that is something that should be important to America and Iran both.”

Pahlavi told Bartiromo that he’s working with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — who he affectionately dubbed “Uncle Lindsey” — to present his plans to a bipartisan group in the Senate.

Pahlavi isn’t the only global opposition leader pleading with the White House to legitimize his bid for control after U.S. initiated regime change. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado went so far as to present President Donald Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize in January in a bid to rescue her dwindling hopes of being bolstered or even installed at the top of the South American country.

But Johns Hopkins Professor Vali Nasr told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday that he is skeptical Pahlavi actually has the bandwidth to pull off a stable leadership transition.

“Right now, he does not have a ground game in Iran, if you were to say,” Nasr said. “There’s no political organization alliances, he has not built a relationship with with bureaucrats, with politicians, etc, that actually would allow him to play a critical role at this moment in time and to have a plan for the day after essentially being able to take over the government.”

ATTACHMENT FOURTEEN – FROM THE WEEK (INDIA)

WILL REZA PAHLAVI LEAD TRANSITION OF POWER IN IRAN? EXILED CROWN PRINCE SAYS HE ‘ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY’

Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has said that he accepts the responsibility to lead the country's transition after the current regime, promising orderly change and a return to normalcy

By Sarath Ramesh Kuniyl  Updated: March 07, 2026 08:57 IST

Amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has said that the citizens of his country have asked him to lead the “transition” after the current regime is gone, and that he accepts the responsibility.

For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East

In a video shared by CBN News, Pahlavi says, “.... Part of their great mandate to me is to return our nation and our foreign relations to normalcy. I will do exactly that. My commitment is to ensure the transition is orderly, the country is stabilised, and Iranians determine their future through the ballot box.”

He said that he will not “repeat the mistakes of the past transitions” and called on the Arab world to recognise and engage with the transitional government. “We will avoid the Ba'athification scenarios and maintain as many bureaucrats and public servants in transition as possible. Iranians have made their choice at an enormous price. Now I ask our friends in the Arab world to join us to prepare to recognise and engage our transitional government.”

Pahlavi said that his transitional government’s diplomacy will be based on "mutual respect and shared interest" rather than "exportation of ideology". “Together, we can build a Middle East our children will be proud to inherit. Take this new path with us,” he said.

The exiled crown prince’s remarks come at a time when US President Donald Trump has dismissed the chances of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei succeeding his father, who was killed in a military strike at the start of the war.

Reuters quoted Trump as saying that the United States must be involved in choosing the next leader of Iran. The president, while referring to the leadership succession in Iran, drew a parallel to Venezuela, where the US removed President Nicolas Maduro in January, leaving Delcy Rodriguez, his number two, in charge, who, Trump said, "has done a wonderful job." When asked whether Pahlavi was a possibility, Trump said, "I think everybody's in the mix. It's very early."

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Interestingly, a few days ago, when asked the same question, Trump had acknowledged Pahlavi, the son of the last shah, as a “very nice person" but had downplayed the possibility of him taking over the leadership of Iran, saying he preferred that a figure from within the country take charge. “Some people like him (Pahlavi), and we haven’t been thinking too much about that," Trump had said, adding, “It would seem to me that somebody from within maybe would be more appropriate."

Pahlavi is the eldest son of the late Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was overthrown during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Born in 1960, Pahlavi has lived in exile since the revolution and has emerged as a prominent voice for secular governance, human rights and democratic reforms in the country. He has positioned himself as a symbol of change for Iranians seeking an alternative to the clerical leadership in Tehran. In January, people had taken to the streets in Tehran, following a call for action from Pahlavi. During the rallies, some protesters were heard chanting in support of the former shah. Pahlavi had said then that he would announce his next steps based on the public's response to his call.

On the other hand, Mojtaba Khamenei has been a contender to the post of the country's next Supreme Leader even before his father death, though he has never been elected or appointed to a government position. He has not been seen in public since the Israeli airstrike targeting the supreme leader's offices which killed his 86-year-old father. Mojtaba is believed to be alive and in hiding as American and Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue.

ATTACHMENT FIFTEEN – FROM THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL (WASH. DC)

Following the US-Israeli raids that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, former Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has re-emerged as the most prominent face of the Iranian opposition in a moment of crisis. Alongside this visibility has come renewed scrutiny. Critics question Pahlavi’s capacity, qualifications, and the coherence of the opposition movement. But beneath the criticisms lies a quieter fault line—one that is less about capacity and more about ideology. It concerns his support for Israel.

For decades, discussions of regime change in Iran have conjured warnings of chaos.  Policymakers frequently invoke the specter of Iraq, Syria, or Afghanistan, expressing a preference for the devil they know over the uncertainty of transition. This posture has allowed the Islamic Republic to consolidate power—financially, militarily, and technologically—while continuing to suppress dissent at home.

Simultaneously, critics argue that the Iranian opposition is too fragmented to present a viable alternative. Yes, the opposition spans ideological, generational, and ethnic lines. Monarchists, federalists, republicans, reformists, labor organizers, and others often share grievances but lack Western standards of coordination.

ASSESSING PAHLAVI

That raises the question of whether Pahlavi could be a unifying figure. One common criticism is that Pahlavi would replace one form of authoritarianism with another—the turban with a crown. This ignores Pahlavi’s repeated and consistent public position as a transitional figure—a bridge, not a destination. Pahlavi has asserted that he seeks to bring Iran to a free and fair referendum where the people select their political system.

He has not ruled out monarchy, but he has also refused to predetermine Iran’s future structure outside of a democratic process. This distinction is often overlooked. 

This criticism also reflects Western discomfort with monarchy rather than Iranian political realities. Iran’s long historical connection with monarchy remains part of its political memory, and for some citizens it continues to carry hope and legitimacy. Dismissing this sentiment outright risks projecting Western assumptions and values onto a different culture.

Some critics focus on Pahlavi’s lifestyle or lack of governing experience. Yet such standards are applied inconsistently. Around the world, leaders often rise through public appeal, inspiring campaigns and family legacy, rather than administrative résumés. Young inexperienced candidates become mayors; socialites with prominent names are appointed to offices; many dwell in lavish lifestyles without comparable scrutiny. 

In Iran the hypocrisy runs even deeper. The Iranian government routinely and arbitrarily disqualifies candidates on standards such as loyalty to the supreme leader. Those in power extend the privileges of the kleptocratic system to their families—many living abroad where they flaunt their extraordinary wealth. Those who enforce strict social and modesty codes are frequently exposed violating them privately–offenses that would bring severe punishment upon ordinary citizens–yet these double standards rarely dominate the international commentary.

Some have criticized the harsh tone of Pahlavi’s supporters as a reflection on his personality. While there is an undeniable tone of anger from many activists, there is evidence that Iran’s cyber army is fueling these tensions, posing as fake monarchists. Pahlavi has repeatedly admonished the rude tone. Nonetheless, it appears that populist tone of discourse is a phenomenon of today’s global political landscape. Although the hostile and disrespectful tenors are repulsive, Pahlavi himself has never engaged in such behaviors and has always discouraged it.

Perhaps the most persistent criticism of Pahlavi is that he lacks organization or boots on the ground. Recent developments complicate that narrative. Over the past several years, initiatives associated with his camp have included policy planning efforts such as:

1. The Iran Prosperity Project, extensive day-after plans for transition of power and governance;

2. The July 2025 Convention of National Cooperation to Save Iran in Munich, a large diaspora summit that convened over seven hundred opposition diverse political groups under four shared principles;

3. The launch of the defections campaign for security forces, drawing over fifty thousand people as of July 2025; and

4. The first ever call for coordinated protests in Iran on January 8 and 9, drawing over a million people to the streets of Iran across thirty-five provinces.

Whether or not one agrees with these initiatives, they represent a level of organization that disproves the critics. Most significantly, the presence of millions of pro-Pahlavi demonstrators inside and outside of Iran indicate the capacity to mobilize.

ASSESSING THE PROTESTS

To understand the current moment, one must consider the constraints inside Iran where activists, journalists, and artists are systematically oppressed and silenced. The arrests of people like Narges Mohammadi, Fatemeh Sepehri, Heshmatollah Tabatzadi, Shervin Hajipour, Toumaj Salehi, and many more show how the regime will resort to violence to prevent the emergence of leaders and ideas. 

In such an environment where systems fail to address the needs of the populace, political representation takes different forms. Graffiti, slogans, and chants become methods of change. Some point to protests as a cultural phenomenon in Iran, but neglect to note that they are a reaction to unmet needs. 

The protests have evolved as the government’s failures persisted. Although thousands of protests have taken place since 2009, three major protest milestones represent a gradual break from the government leading to today’s mass unrest. The 2009 Green Revolution eroded trust in the electoral system and triggered a steady decline in voting. In the 2017–2019 protests over the economy, with chants of “neither Gaza, nor Lebanon, I sacrifice for Iran,” Iranian people linked their domestic struggles to the regime’s failed foreign policy of proxies and ideological wars. In 2023, the Woman, Life, Freedom movement asked for the most basic rights and dignity. Today, the protests are revealing that the country has broken from all factions of the government. Notably, the display of defiance illustrates a loss of fear of the government. They are no longer just chanting “death to the dictator,” they are chanting “long live the king.”

Many protesters in Iran (and the diaspora) have indeed expressed the pro-Pahlavi slogans. For some protesters, the Pahlavi-led demonstrations are about overthrowing the regime, not reinstating the monarchy. For others, it’s a desire to reset or return to the past, a notion that some academics mock as nostalgia or retrotopia, dismissing the memory of past achievements and perceiving the 1979 revolution as irreversible. The prominence of Pahlavi’s name does not necessarily represent a universal agreement with his political vision, nor does it imply a collective desire for monarchy. Rather, it confirms the emergence of a visible figure capable of being a transitional leader.

Although scarcity of internet access has not allowed for new surveys, data from 2025 suggests that Iranians largely favor the regime’s collapse, even if they are uncertain about the type of government they wish to have. Similarly, the 2024 GAMAAN survey demonstrated that while the entire country may not support Pahlavi, he would be the first or second choice for over 30 percent of the population in a hypothetical free election—far exceeding the popularity of any other contenders.  But popular opinion is hard to judge in this moment of wartime, particularly with some of the leaders mentioned in this survey killed in the recent strikes.

THE ISRAEL FACTOR

Among the members of the Iranian opposition who have refrained from supporting Pahlavi, one consequential critique is rarely discussed openly: Israel.

Pahlavi’s support for normalized relations with Israel is a defining fault line. For many Iranians, this position represents a break from costly decades of ideological foreign policy centered around the elimination of Israel. For others, it represents “a symbol of repression and dependence on foreigners.” 

When Pahlavi and his wife, Princess Yasmine, famously visited Israel in 2023, they put the opposition’s sensibilities regarding the Jewish state to the test. Pahlavi’s critics have been explicit with their accusations, warning about a “Israel-appointed” ruler in Iran or saying that Pahlavi lost credibility by not criticizing Israel for its twelve-day war with Iran last year. Pahlavi’s inclinations to normalize relations with Israel create discomfort among many Iranians, which is often masked in criticisms of his capacity or character.

Interestingly, Pahlavi has never expressed an opposition to Palestinian statehood, rather seeing Hamas and the Iranian regime as impediments to their wellbeing. Nonetheless, the challenge for some activists is not the realization of a Palestinian state, but rather the existence of a Jewish one. The core reason for many is discomfort with Jewish sovereignty on lands that they perceive as Islamic. Against the backdrop of the protesters’ massacre in Iran, this sentiment is too controversial to discuss in the public narrative, yet it is hinted at in closed circles and social media. This divide is often masked by criticisms about personality, organization, or political philosophy.

The opposition’s divide can also be seen in the disintegration of the “Georgetown Coalition,” which was formed a few months before the Pahlavis’ Israel trip. Canada-based activist Hamed Esmaeilion was the first to leave the coalition—though Esmaeilion never commented directly on the trip or Pahlavi’s potential leadership of the country. Today, members of the Georgetown Coalition such as the Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi and actress Nazanin Boniadi are directly or indirectly supporting Pahlavi as a transitional leader, while they continue to criticize the tone of his team. Journalist Masih Alinejad claimed that “if he leads,” she will support him because she supports the Iranian people. The situation with the Kurdish political leader Abdullah Mohtadi and some other Kurdish leaders has become more precarious due to their inabilities to reconcile around accusations of “separatism.” The Kurdish community seems split on their support for Pahlavi, but it’s worth noting that Kurdish people and Israel have long enjoyed amicable relations—and the United States and Israel are reportedly backing the Kurds to join the war against the regime.

The Iranian opposition faces real challenges, from fragmentation and mistrust to unresolved leadership challenges. But the debate over Pahlavi often ignores an important issue: the question of his support for Israel and whether that is a red line for those who oppose him. For the protest movement, the prospect of ending the Islamic Republic and enabling Iranian self-determination must also contend with unresolved grievances regarding Israel.

Marjan Keypour Greenblatt is an advisory board member of the Atlantic Council’s Iran Strategy Project and New Union for Democracy in Iran, and the founder and director of the Alliance for Rights of All Minorities.

ATTACHMENT SIXTEEN – FROM IRAN NEWS UPDATE

THE SELF-APPOINTED ROLE OF THE SHAH’S SON HIGHLIGHTS THE GROWING GAP BETWEEN MONARCHIST NARRATIVES ABROAD AND THE POLITICAL REALITIES OF IRAN’S OPPOSITION.

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last Shah, has recently announced that he has “accepted” the role of leader of Iran’s future transitional period. The declaration has triggered widespread debate among Iranian political observers and opposition circles—largely because the role he claims to have accepted was never formally offered to him, nor has it been endorsed by any credible political coalition.

In essence, the announcement resembles a political paradox: accepting a position that no one proposed and that no political force has agreed to create.

Pahlavi’s remarks have once again drawn attention to the persistent attempts by monarchist networks to portray him as a central political figure for Iran’s future, despite the absence of any institutional mechanism, political consensus, or democratic mandate supporting such a role.

A TITLE WITHOUT A PROCESS

Various media outlets and political commentators noted that the claim comes at a time when no recognized framework exists for appointing a “transition leader” for Iran. The country’s opposition landscape remains diverse and fragmented, and discussions about a transitional authority have long centered on the need for broad political consensus and structured mechanisms.

Political activists emphasize that leadership of any transitional period—particularly in a country emerging from authoritarian rule—cannot be determined through personal declarations. Instead, it requires agreement among political forces, civil society, and representatives of the Iranian people.

Against this backdrop, Pahlavi’s claim has been widely interpreted as a unilateral attempt to insert himself into a position of authority without the political legitimacy typically required for such a role.

FORTY-FOUR YEARS IN COMFORT, SUDDENLY A REVOLUTIONARY

Critics also point to the irony surrounding the timing of Pahlavi’s announcement.

For more than four decades since the fall of the monarchy in 1979, Pahlavi has lived abroad in considerable comfort. His life in exile was sustained in part by wealth that originated from assets transferred out of Iran during the final days of his father’s rule.

Now, as Iran faces one of the most turbulent periods in its modern history—amid war, domestic unrest, and severe economic hardship—monarchist factions appear eager to position him as a political beneficiary of the crisis.

For many observers, the situation resembles political opportunism: while millions of Iranians endure repression and hardship, the remnants of the former monarchy seem primarily concerned with claiming the political fruits of a struggle they have not led.

A DEBATE OVER IRAN’S REAL POLITICAL ALTERNATIVE

The controversy surrounding Pahlavi’s statement has also revived broader discussions about Iran’s political alternatives.

For years, the question of leadership during a potential transition has been debated among opposition movements. Many political actors insist that such a process must be based on organized structures, defined political programs, and broad social support.

Among the groups that present themselves as a structured alternative is the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which has maintained organized political activity for more than four decades. The council has proposed a political framework for a future democratic republic in Iran, including the separation of religion and state, gender equality, and democratic elections.

Supporters of this movement argue that discussions about transitional leadership should emerge from institutional political frameworks and concrete programs—rather than personal declarations made by individuals who lack grassroots support inside Iran.

THE UNRESOLVED LEGACY OF THE MONARCHY

Another recurring criticism directed at Pahlavi concerns his refusal to clearly condemn the human rights abuses committed during his father’s rule.

The monarchy of Mohammad Reza Shah was marked by political repression, censorship, and the activities of the notorious SAVAK secret police. For many Iranians, the unresolved legacy of that period continues to undermine the credibility of attempts to revive monarchist leadership.

As a result, Pahlavi’s efforts to present himself as a democratic alternative often encounter skepticism among activists who believe that Iran’s future must break not only from clerical authoritarianism but also from the authoritarian practices of the monarchy.

A POLITICAL ILLUSION?

The debate surrounding Pahlavi’s declaration illustrates a broader issue within Iranian opposition politics: the ongoing struggle to define a credible and democratic alternative to the ruling regime.

Leadership in a democratic transition, must emerge from the collective will of the people—not from personal proclamations or media-driven narratives.

Until such a consensus emerges, Pahlavi’s claim to lead Iran’s hypothetical transition may remain what many critics already describe it as: less a political reality than a carefully staged illusion.

ATTACHMENT SEVENTEEN – FROM WIKI (SEE NOTES, REFERENCES AND PICTURES HERE)

MOHAMMAD REZA PAHLAVI (SENIOR)

Bottom of Form

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"The Shah" redirects here. For the title itself, see Shah. For other uses, see Shah (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with his father Reza Shah (1878–1944) or his eldest son Reza Pahlavi (born 1960).

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi محمد رضا پهلوی
Light of the Aryans
Shah of Iran
Reign	16 September 1941 – 11 February 1979
Coronation	26 October 1967
Predecessor	Reza Shah
Successor	Monarchy abolished Ruhollah Khomeini (as supreme leader)
Born	26 October 1919 Tehran, Iran
Died	27 July 1980 (aged 60) Cairo, Egypt
Burial	Al-Rifa'i Mosque
Spouses	Fawzia of Egypt (m. 1939; div. 1948) Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary (m. 1951; div. 1958) Farah Diba (m. 1959)
Issue	Princess Shahnaz Crown Prince Reza Princess Farahnaz Prince Ali Reza Princess Leila
Regnal name Mohammad Reza Shah Persian: محمدرضا شاه
Alma mater	Institut Le Rosey University of Southern California Madrasa Nezam
Dynasty	Pahlavi
Father	Reza Shah
Mother	Tadj ol-Molouk
Religion	Twelver Shia Islam
Signature	Persian signature  Latin signature
Military service
Branch/service	Imperial Iranian Army
Years of service	1936–1979
Rank	Ariabod (Generalissimo)
Commands	Army's Inspection Department
Battles/wars	· Revolution of Iran · 1953 Iranian coup d'état · Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran · Siahkal incident · Joint Operation Arvand · 1974–75 Shatt al-Arab conflict · Kurdish separatism in Iran · Hama Rashid revolt · Iran crisis of 1946
Mohammad Reza Shah's voice Duration: 29 seconds.0:29 Mohamed Reza on the nonrenewability of oil Recorded 1971

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi^[a] (26 October 1919 – 27 July 1980) was the last Shah of Iran from 1941 to 1979.^[1] He succeeded his father Reza Shah and ruled the Imperial State of Iran until he was overthrown in the Islamic Revolution led by Ruhollah Khomeini, which abolished the Iranian monarchy to establish the Islamic Republic of Iran. In 1967, he took the title Shahanshah (lit. 'King of Kings'),^[2] and held several others, including Aryamehr (lit. 'Light of the Aryans') and Bozorg Arteshtaran (lit. 'Grand Army Commander'). He was the second and last ruling monarch of the Pahlavi dynasty.

During World War II, the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran forced the abdication of Reza Shah and succession of Pahlavi. During his reign, the British-owned oil industry was nationalized by the prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, who had support from Iran's national parliament to do so; however, Mosaddegh was overthrown in the 1953 Iranian coup d'état, which was carried out by the Iranian military under the aegis of the United Kingdom and the United States. Subsequently, the Iranian government centralized power under the Shah and brought foreign oil companies back into the country's industry through the Consortium Agreement of 1954.^[3]

In 1963, Mohammad Reza Shah introduced the White Revolution, a series of reforms aimed at transforming Iran into a global power and modernizing the nation by nationalizing key industries and redistributing land. The regime also implemented Iranian nationalist policies establishing numerous popular symbols of Iran relating to Cyrus the Great. The Shah initiated major investments in infrastructure, subsidies and land grants for peasant populations, profit sharing for industrial workers, construction of nuclear facilities, nationalization of Iran's natural resources, and literacy programs which were considered some of the most effective in the world.

The Shah also instituted economic policy tariffs and preferential loans to Iranian businesses which sought to create an independent Iranian economy. Manufacturing of cars, appliances, and other goods in Iran increased substantially, creating a new industrialist class insulated from threats of foreign competition. By the 1970s, the Shah was seen as a master statesman and used his growing power to pass the 1973 Sale and Purchase Agreement. The reforms culminated in decades of sustained economic growth that would make Iran one of the fastest-growing economies among both the developed world and the developing world. During his 37-year-long rule, Iran spent billions of dollars' worth on industry, education, health, and military spending. Between 1950 and 1979, real GDP per capita nearly tripled from about $2700 to about $7700 (2011 international dollars).^[4] By 1977, the Shah's focus on defense spending to end foreign powers' intervention in the country had culminated in the Iranian military standing as the world's fifth-strongest armed force.^[5]

As political unrest grew throughout Iran in the late 1970s,^[6] the Shah's position was made untenable by the Cinema Rex fire and the Jaleh Square massacre. The 1979 Guadeloupe Conference saw his Western allies state that there was no feasible way to save the Iranian monarchy from being overthrown. The Shah ultimately left Iran for exile in January 1979.^[7] Although he had told some Western contemporaries that he would rather leave the country than fire on his own people,^[8] estimates for the total number of deaths during the Islamic Revolution range from 540 to 2,000 (figures of independent studies) to 60,000 (figures of the Islamic government).^[9] After formally abolishing the Iranian monarchy, Shia Islamist cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini assumed leadership as the Supreme Leader of Iran. Pahlavi died in exile in Egypt, where he had been granted political asylum by Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.

Early life, family and educationCrown Prince Mohammad Reza, c. 1926

Born in Tehran, in the Sublime State of Iran, to Reza Khan (later Reza Shah Pahlavi, first Shah of the Pahlavi dynasty) and his second wife, Tadj ol-Molouk, Mohammad Reza was his father's eldest son and third of his eleven children. His father was of Mazandarani origin^[10][11][12] and born in Alasht, Savadkuh County, Māzandarān Province. He was a Brigadier-General of the Persian Cossack Brigade, commissioned in the 7th Savadkuh Regiment, who served in the Anglo-Persian War in 1856.^[13] Mohammad Reza's mother was a Muslim immigrant from Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire),^[14] whose family had emigrated to mainland Iran after Iran was forced to cede all of its territories in the Caucasus following the Russo-Persian Wars several decades prior.^[15] She was of Azerbaijani origin, being born in Baku, Russian Empire (now Azerbaijan).

Crown Prince Mohammad Reza in 1939

Mohammad Reza was born with his twin sister, Ashraf; however, he, Ashraf, his siblings Shams and Ali Reza, and his older half-sister, Fatimeh, were not royalty by birth, as their father did not become Shah until 1925. Nevertheless, Reza Khan was always convinced that his sudden quirk of good fortune had commenced in 1919 with the birth of his son, who was dubbed khoshghadam ("bird of good omen").^[16] Like most Iranians at the time, Reza Khan did not have a surname. After the 1921 Persian coup d'état which saw the deposal of Ahmad Shah Qajar, Reza Khan was informed that he would need a surname for his house. This led him to pass a law ordering all Iranians to take a surname; he chose for himself the surname Pahlavi, which is the name for the Middle Persian language, itself derived from Old Persian.^[17] On 24 April 1926, the day before his father's coronation, 6-year-old Mohammad Reza was proclaimed Crown Prince.^[17][18]

FAMILY

Mohammad Reza described his father in his book Mission for My Country as "one of the most frightening men" he had ever known, depicting Reza Shah as a dominating man with a violent temper.^[19] A tough, fierce, and very ambitious soldier who became the first Persian to command the elite Russian-trained Cossack Brigade, Reza Khan liked to kick subordinates in the groin who failed to follow his orders. Growing up under his shadow, Mohammad Reza was a deeply scared and insecure boy who lacked self-confidence, according to Iranian-American historian Abbas Milani.^[20]

Reza Khan believed if fathers showed love for their sons, it caused homosexuality later in life, so to ensure his favourite son was heterosexual, he denied him love and affection when he was young, though he later became more affectionate toward the Crown Prince when he was a teenager.^[21] Reza Khan always addressed his son as shoma ("sir") and refused to use the more informal tow ("you"), and in turn was addressed by his son using the same formality.^[22] The Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuściński observed in his book Shah of Shahs that looking at old photographs of Reza Khan and his son, he was struck by how self-confident and assured Reza Khan appeared in his uniform, while Mohammad Reza appeared nervous and jittery in his uniform standing next to his father.^[23]

In the 1930s, Reza Khan was an outspoken admirer of Adolf Hitler, less because of Hitler's racism and anti-Semitism and more because he had risen from an undistinguished background, much like Reza Khan, to become a notable leader of the 20th century.^[24] Reza Khan often impressed on his son his belief that history was made by great men such as himself, and that a real leader is an autocrat.^[24] Throughout his life, Mohammad Reza was obsessed with height and stature, wearing elevator shoes to make himself look taller than he really was, often boasting that Iran's highest mountain Mount Damavand was higher than any peak in Europe or Japan, and proclaiming that he was always most attracted to tall women.^[25] As Shah, Mohammad Reza constantly disparaged his father in private, calling him a thuggish Cossack who achieved nothing as Shah. In fact, he almost airbrushed his father out of history during his reign, to the point of implying the House of Pahlavi began its rule in 1941 rather than 1925.^[26]

The Iranian and Egyptian imperial families after a wedding in Saadabad Palace, Tehran, 25 April 1939

Mohammad Reza's mother, Tadj ol-Molouk, was an assertive woman who was also very superstitious. She believed that dreams were messages from another world, sacrificed lambs to bring good fortune and scare away evil spirits, and clad her children with protective amulets to ward off the power of the evil eye.^[27] Tadj ol-Molouk was the main emotional support to her son, and she cultivated a belief in him that destiny had chosen him for great things, which the soothsayers she consulted had interpreted her dreams as proving.^[28] Mohammad Reza grew up surrounded by women, as the main influences on him were his mother, his older sister Shams, and his twin sister Ashraf, leading the American psychoanalyst and political economist Marvin Zonis to conclude that it was "from women, and apparently from women alone" that the future Shah "received whatever psychological nourishment he was able to get as a child".^[29] Traditionally, male children were considered preferable to females, and as a boy, Mohammad Reza was often spoiled by his mother and sisters.^[29] Mohammad Reza was very close to his twin sister Ashraf, who commented, "It was this twinship and this relationship with my brother that would nourish and sustain me throughout my childhood ... No matter how I would reach out in the years to come—sometimes even desperately—to find an identity and a purpose of my own, I would remain inextricably tied to my brother ... always, the center of my existence was, and is, Mohammad Reza".^[30]

After becoming Crown Prince, Mohammad Reza was taken away from his mother and sisters to be given a "manly education" by officers selected by his father, who also ordered that everyone, including his mother and siblings, were to address the Crown Prince as "Your Highness".^[22] According to Zonis, the result of his contradictory upbringing by a loving, if possessive and superstitious, mother and an overbearing martinet father was to make Mohammad Reza "a young man of low self-esteem who masked his lack of self-confidence, his indecisiveness, his passivity, his dependency and his shyness with masculine bravado, impulsiveness, and arrogance". This made him into a person of marked contradictions, Zonis claims, as the Crown Prince was "both gentle and cruel, withdrawn and active, dependent and assertive, weak and powerful".^[31]

EDUCATION

Mohammad Reza entering Madrasa Nezam, a military school in Tehran, 1938

By the time Mohammad Reza turned 11, his father deferred to the recommendation of Abdolhossein Teymourtash, the Minister of Court, to dispatch his son to Institut Le Rosey, a Swiss boarding school, for further studies. Mohammad Reza left Iran for Switzerland on 7 September 1931.^[32] As a student, Mohammad Reza played competitive football, but school records indicate that his principal problem as a player was his "timidity", as the Crown Prince was afraid to take risks.^[33] He was educated in French at Le Rosey, and his time there left Mohammad Reza with a lifelong love of all things French.^[34] In articles he wrote in French for the student newspaper in 1935 and 1936, Mohammad Reza praised Le Rosey for broadening his mind and introducing him to European civilisation.^[33]

Mohammad Reza was the first Iranian prince in line for the throne to be sent abroad to attain a foreign education and remained there for the next four years before returning to obtain his high school diploma in Iran in 1936. After returning to the country, the Crown Prince was registered at the local military academy in Tehran where he remained enrolled until 1938, graduating as a Second Lieutenant. Upon graduating, Mohammad Reza was quickly promoted to the rank of Captain, a rank which he kept until he became Shah. During college, the young prince was appointed Inspector of the Army and spent three years travelling across the country, examining both civil and military installations.^[18][35]

Mohammad Reza spoke English, French, and German fluently, in addition to his native Persian.^[36]

A young Mohammad Reza with Minister of Imperial Court Abdolhossein Teymourtash at the Institut Le Rosey in Lausanne, Switzerland, 1932

During his time in Switzerland, Mohammad Reza befriended his teacher Ernest Perron, who introduced him to French poetry, and under his influence, Chateaubriand and Rabelais became his "favorite French authors".^[37] The Crown Prince liked Perron so much that when he returned to Iran in 1936, he brought Perron back with him, installing his best friend in the Marble Palace.^[38] Perron lived in Iran until his death in 1961, and as the best friend of Mohammad Reza, was a man of considerable behind-the-scenes power.^[39] After the Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979, a best-selling book was published by the new regime, Ernest Perron, the Husband of the Shah of Iran, by Mohammad Pourkian, alleging a homosexual relationship between the Shah and Perron. Even today, this remains the official interpretation of their relationship by the Islamic Republic of Iran.^[40] Marvin Zonis described the book as long on assertions and short on evidence of a homosexual relationship between the two, noting that all of the Shah's courtiers rejected the claim that Perron was the Shah's lover. He argued that the strong-willed Reza Khan, who was very homophobic, would not have allowed Perron to move into the Marble Palace in 1936 if he believed Perron was his son's lover.^[41]

RISE TO POWER AND RULE AS SHAH

FIRST MARRIAGE

Main article: Wedding of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Fawzia of Egypt

Photograph of the wedding ceremony of Crown Prince Mohammad Reza (right) and Princess Fawzia of Egypt at Abdeen Palace in Cairo, 1939

One of the main initiatives of Iranian and Turkish foreign policy had been the Saadabad Pact of 1937, an alliance bringing together Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, with the intent of creating a Muslim bloc that, it was hoped, would deter any aggressors. President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk of Turkey suggested to his friend Reza Khan during the latter's visit that a marriage between the Iranian and Egyptian courts would be beneficial for the two countries and their dynasties, as it might lead to Egypt joining the Saadabad pact.^[42] Dilawar Princess Fawzia of Egypt (5 November 1921 – 2 July 2013) was daughter of King Fuad I of Egypt and Nazli Sabri, and sister of King Farouk I of Egypt. In line with Atatürk's suggestion, Mohammad Reza and the Egyptian Princess Fawzia were married on 15 March 1939 in the Abdeen Palace in Cairo.^[42] Reza Shah did not participate in the ceremony.^[42] During his visit to Egypt, Mohammad Reza was greatly impressed with the grandeur of the Egyptian court as he visited the various palaces built by Isma'il "the Magnificent" Pasha, the famously free-spending khedive of Egypt, and resolved that Iran needed similarly grandiose palaces to match them.^[43]

Mohammad Reza's marriage to Fawzia produced one child, Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi (born 27 October 1940). Their marriage was not a happy one, as the Crown Prince was openly unfaithful, often being seen driving around Tehran in one of his expensive cars with one of his girlfriends.^[44] Additionally, Mohammad Reza's dominating and possessive mother saw her daughter-in-law as a rival to her son's love, and took to humiliating Princess Fawzia, whose husband sided with his mother.^[44] A quiet, shy woman, Fawzia described her marriage as miserable, feeling very much unwanted and unloved by the Pahlavi family and longing to return to Egypt.^[44] In his 1961 book Mission for My Country, Mohammad Reza wrote that the "only happy light moment" of his entire marriage to Fawzia was the birth of his daughter.^[45]

ANGLO-SOVIET INVASION AND DEPOSITION OF HIS FATHER REZA SHAH

Meanwhile, in the midst of World War II in 1941, Nazi Germany began Operation Barbarossa and invaded the Soviet Union, breaking the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. This had a major impact on Iran, which had declared neutrality in the conflict.^[46] In the summer of 1941, Soviet and British diplomats passed on numerous messages warning that they regarded the presence of Germans administering the Iranian state railroads as a threat, implying war if the Germans were not dismissed.^[47] Britain wished to ship arms to the Soviet Union via Iranian railroads, and statements from the German managers of the Iranian railroads that they would not cooperate made both the Soviets and British insistent that the Germans Reza Khan had hired be sacked at once.^[47] As his father's closest advisor, the Crown Prince Mohammad Reza did not see fit to raise the issue of a possible Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, blithely assuring his father that nothing would happen.^[47] The Iranian-American historian Abbas Milani wrote about the relationship between the Reza Khan and the Crown Prince at the time, noting, "As his father's now constant companion, the two men consulted on virtually every decision".^[48]

Later that year, British and Soviet forces occupied Iran in a military invasion, forcing Reza Shah to abdicate.^[49] On 25 August 1941, British and Australian naval forces attacked the Persian Gulf while the Soviet Union conducted a land invasion from the north. On the second day of the invasion, with the Soviet air force bombing Tehran, Mohammad Reza was shocked to see the Iranian military simply collapse, with thousands of terrified officers and men all over Tehran taking off their uniforms in order to desert and run away, despite having not yet seen combat.^[50] Reflecting the panic, a group of senior Iranian generals called the Crown Prince to receive his blessing to hold a meeting to discuss how best to surrender.^[48] When Reza Khan learned of the meeting, he flew into a rage and attacked one of his generals, Ahmad Nakhjavan, striking him with his riding crop, tearing off his medals, and nearly personally executing him before his son persuaded him to have the general court-martialed instead.^[48] The collapse of the Iranian military that his father had worked so hard to build humiliated his son, who vowed that he would never see Iran defeated like that again, foreshadowing the future Shah's later obsession with military spending.^[50]

ASCENSION TO THE SUN THRONE

The inauguration of Mohammad Reza as Shah of Iran in the National Assembly, 17 September 1941

On 16 September 1941, Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Foroughi and Foreign Minister Ali Soheili attended a special session of parliament to announce the resignation of Reza Shah and that Mohammad Reza was to replace him. The next day, at 4:30 p.m., Mohammad Reza took the oath of office and was received warmly by parliamentarians. On his way back to the palace, the streets filled with people welcoming the new Shah jubilantly, seemingly more enthusiastic than the Allies would have liked.^[51] The British would have liked to put a Qajar back on the throne, but the principal Qajar claimant to the throne was Prince Hamid Mirza, an officer in the Royal Navy who did not speak Persian, so the British were forced to accept Mohammad Reza as Shah.^[52] The main Soviet interest in 1941 was to ensure political stability to ensure Allied supplies, which meant accepting Mohammad Reza's ascension to the throne. Subsequent to his succession as king, Iran became a major conduit for British and, later, American aid to the USSR during the war. This massive supply route became known as the Persian Corridor.^[53]

Much of the credit for orchestrating a smooth transition of power from the King to the Crown Prince was due to the efforts of Mohammad Ali Foroughi.^[54] Suffering from angina, a frail Foroughi was summoned to the Palace and appointed prime minister when Reza Shah feared the end of the Pahlavi dynasty once the Allies invaded Iran in 1941.^[55] When Reza Shah sought his assistance to ensure that the Allies would not put an end to the Pahlavi dynasty, Foroughi put aside his adverse personal sentiments for having been politically sidelined since 1935. The Crown Prince confided in amazement to the British minister that Foroughi "hardly expected any son of Reza Shah to be a civilized human being",^[55] but Foroughi successfully derailed thoughts by the Allies to undertake a more drastic change in the political infrastructure of Iran.^[56]

A general amnesty was issued two days after Mohammad Reza's accession to the throne on 19 September 1941. All political personalities who had suffered disgrace during his father's reign were rehabilitated, and the forced unveiling policy^{[clarification needed]} inaugurated by his father in 1935 was overturned. Despite the young king's enlightened decisions, the British minister in Tehran reported to London that "the young Shah received a fairly spontaneous welcome on his first public experience, possibly rather [due] to relief at the disappearance of his father than to public affection for himself". During his early days as Shah, Mohammad Reza lacked self-confidence and spent most of his time with Perron writing poetry in French.^[57]

In 1942, Mohammad Reza met Wendell Willkie, the Republican candidate for the US presidency in the 1940 election who was now on a world tour to promote his "one world" policy. Willkie took the Shah flying for the first time.^[58] The prime minister, Ahmad Qavam, had advised the Shah against flying with Willkie, saying he had never met a man with a worse flatulence problem, but the Shah took his chances.^[58] Mohammad Reza told Willkie that when he was flying that he "wanted to stay up indefinitely".^[58] Enjoying flight, Mohammad Reza hired the American pilot Dick Collbarn to teach him how to fly. Upon arriving at the Marble Palace, Collbarn noted that "the Shah must have twenty-five custom-built cars ... Buicks, Cadillacs, six Rolls-Royces, a Mercedes".^[58] During the Tehran Conference with the Allied forces in 1943, the Shah was humiliated when he met Joseph Stalin, who visited him in the Marble Palace but did not allow the Shah's bodyguards to be present, with the Red Army alone guarding them.^[59]

OPINION OF HIS FATHER'S RULE

Despite his public professions of admiration in later years, Mohammad Reza had serious misgivings about not only the coarse and roughshod political means adopted by his father, but also his unsophisticated approach to affairs of state. The young Shah possessed a decidedly more refined temperament, and amongst the unsavory developments that "would haunt him when he was king" were the political disgrace brought by his father on Teymourtash, the dismissal of Foroughi by the mid-1930s, and Ali Akbar Davar's suicide in 1937.^[60] An even more significant decision that cast a long shadow was the disastrous and one-sided agreement his father had negotiated with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) in 1933, one which compromised the country's ability to receive more favourable returns from oil extracted from the country.

RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS EXILED FATHER

Mohammad Reza expressed concern for his exiled father, who had previously complained to the British governor of Mauritius that living on the island was both a climatic and social prison. Attentively following his life in exile, Mohammad Reza would object to his father's treatment to the British at any opportunity. The two sent letters to one another, although delivery was often delayed, and Mohammad Reza commissioned his friend, Ernest Perron, to hand-deliver a taped message of love and respect to his father, bringing back with him a recording of his voice:^[61]

My dear son, since the time I resigned in your favour and left my country, my only pleasure has been to witness your sincere service to your country. I have always known that your youth and your love of the country are vast reservoirs of power on which you will draw to stand firm against the difficulties you face and that, despite all the troubles, you will emerge from this ordeal with honour. Not a moment passes without my thinking of you and yet the only thing that keeps me happy and satisfied is the thought that you are spending your time in the service of Iran. You must remain always aware of what goes on in the country. You must not succumb to advice that is self-serving and false. You must remain firm and constant. You must never be afraid of the events that come your way. Now that you have taken on your shoulders this heavy burden in such dark days, you must know that the price to be paid for the slightest mistake on your part may be our twenty years of service and our family's name. You must never yield to anxiety or despair; rather, you must remain calm and so strongly rooted in your place that no power may hope to move the constancy of your will.

ONSET OF THE COLD WAR

Main article: Iran crisis of 1946

In 1945–46, the main issue in Iranian politics was the Soviet-sponsored separatist government in Iranian Azerbaijan and Kurdistan, which greatly alarmed the Shah. He repeatedly clashed with his prime minister Ahmad Qavam, whom he viewed as too pro-Soviet.^[62] At the same time, the growing popularity of the communist Tudeh Party worried Mohammad Reza, who felt there was a serious possibility of them leading a coup.^[63] In June 1946, Mohammad Reza was relieved when the Red Army pulled out of Iran.^[64] In a letter to the Azerbaijani Communist leader Ja'far Pishevari, Stalin wrote that he had to pull out of Iran, as otherwise the Americans would not pull out of China, and he wanted to assist the Chinese Communists in their civil war against the Kuomintang.^[65] However, the Pishevari regime remained in power in Tabriz, Azerbaijan, and Mohammad Reza sought to undercut Qavam's attempts to make an agreement with Pishevari as way of getting rid of both.^[66] On 11 December 1946, the Iranian Army, led by the Shah in person, entered Iranian Azerbaijan and the Pishevari regime collapsed with little resistance, with most of the fighting occurring between ordinary people who attacked functionaries of the Pishevari that had treated them brutally.^[66] In his statements at the time and later, Mohammad Reza credited his easy success in Azerbaijan to his "mystical power".^[67] Knowing Qavam's penchant for corruption, the Shah used that issue as a reason to sack him.^[68] By this time, the Shah's wife Fawzia had returned to Egypt, and despite efforts to have King Farouk persuade her to return to Iran, she refused to go, which led Mohammad Reza to divorce her on 17 November 1948.^[69]

By now a qualified pilot, Mohammad Reza was fascinated with flying and the technical details of aeroplanes, and any insult to him was always an attempt to "clip [his] wings". Mohammad Reza directed more money to the Imperial Iranian Air Force than any branch of the armed forces, and his favourite uniform was that of the Marshal of the Imperial Iranian Air Force.^[70] Marvin Zonis wrote that Mohammad Reza's obsession with flying reflected an Icarus complex, also known as "ascensionism", a form of narcissism based on "a craving for unsolicited attention and admiration" and the "wish to overcome gravity, to stand erect, to grow tall ... to leap or swing into the air, to climb, to rise, to fly".^[71]

Mohammad Reza often spoke of women as sexual objects who existed only to gratify him, and during a 1973 interview with Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci, she vehemently objected to his attitudes towards women.^[72] As a regular visitor to the nightclubs of Italy, France, and the United Kingdom, Mohammad Reza was linked romantically to several actresses, including Gene Tierney, Yvonne De Carlo, and Silvana Mangano.^[73]

At least two unsuccessful assassination attempts were made against the young Shah. On 4 February 1949, he attended an annual ceremony to commemorate the founding of Tehran University.^[74] At the ceremony, gunman Fakhr-Arai fired five shots at him at a range of about three metres. Only one of the shots hit the king, grazing his cheek. The gunman was instantly shot by nearby officers. After an investigation, Fakhr-Arai was declared a member of the communist Tudeh Party,^[75] which was subsequently banned.^[76] However, there is evidence that the would-be assassin was not a Tudeh member but a religious fundamentalist member of Fada'iyan-e Islam.^[73][77] The Tudeh were nonetheless blamed and persecuted.^{[78][full citation needed]}

The Shah's second wife was Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, a half-German, half-Iranian woman and the only daughter of Khalil Esfandiary-Bakhtiary, Iranian Ambassador to West Germany, and his wife Eva Karl. She was introduced to the Shah by Forough Zafar Bakhtiary, a close relative of Soraya's, via a photograph taken by Goodarz Bakhtiary, in London, per Forough Zafar's request. They married on 12 February 1951,^[42] when Soraya was 18, according to the official announcement. However, it was rumoured that she was actually 16, the Shah being 32.^[79] As a child, she was tutored and brought up by Frau Mantel, and hence lacked proper knowledge of Iran, as she herself admitted in her personal memoirs, stating, "I was a dunce—I knew next to nothing of the geography, the legends of my country, nothing of its history, nothing of Muslim religion".^[62]

CONFLICT WITH THE KING OF JORDAN

In 1952, the Shah of Iran insulted the King of Jordan by sending him a dog as a gift. This act was perceived as a significant slight because, in many cultures, including those in the Middle East, dogs are considered unclean animals. The gesture was seen as a deliberate insult, exacerbating tensions between the two monarchs.

NATIONALIZATION OF OIL AND 1953 IRANIAN COUP D'ÉTAT

Main article: 1953 Iranian coup d'état

Pahlavi with US President Harry S. Truman in Washington, D.C., November 1949

By the early 1950s, the political crisis brewing in Iran commanded the attention of British and American policy leaders. Following the 1950 Iranian legislative election, Mohammad Mosaddegh was elected prime minister in 1951. He was committed to nationalising the Iranian petroleum industry controlled by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC) (formerly the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, or APOC).^[80] Under the leadership of Mosaddegh and his nationalist movement, the Iranian parliament unanimously voted to nationalise the oil industry, thus shutting out the immensely profitable AIOC, which was a pillar of Britain's economy and provided it political clout in the region.^[81]

At the start of the confrontation, American political sympathy with Iran was forthcoming from the Truman Administration.^[82] In particular, Mosaddegh was buoyed by the advice and counsel he was receiving from the American Ambassador in Tehran, Henry F. Grady. However, eventually American decision-makers lost their patience, and by the time the Republican administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower entered office, fears that communists were poised to overthrow the government became an all-consuming concern. These concerns were later dismissed as "paranoid" in retrospective commentary on the coup from US government officials. Shortly prior to the 1952 presidential election in the United States, the British government invited Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer Kermit Roosevelt Jr., to London to propose collaboration on a secret plan to force Mosaddegh from office.^[83] This would be the first of three "regime change" operations led by CIA director Allen Dulles (the other two being the successful CIA-instigated 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état and the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba).

Under the direction of Roosevelt, the American CIA and British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) funded and led a covert operation to depose Mosaddegh with the help of military forces disloyal to the government. Referred to as Operation Ajax,^[84] the plot hinged on orders signed by Mohammad Reza to dismiss Mosaddegh as prime minister and replace him with General Fazlollah Zahedi, a choice agreed on by the British and Americans.^[85][86][87]

Before the attempted coup, the American Embassy in Tehran reported that Mosaddegh's popular support remained robust. The Prime Minister requested direct control of the army from the Majlis. Given the situation, alongside the strong personal support of Conservative Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden for covert action, the American government gave the go-ahead to a committee, attended by the Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, Director of Central Intelligence Allen Dulles, Kermit Roosevelt Jr., Loy W. Henderson, and Secretary of Defense Charles Erwin Wilson. Roosevelt returned to Iran on 13 July 1953, and again on 1 August 1953, in his first meeting with the king. A car picked him up at midnight and drove him to the palace. He lay down on the seat and covered himself with a blanket as guards waved his driver through the gates. The Shah got into the car and Roosevelt explained the mission. The CIA bribed him with $1 million in Iranian currency, which Roosevelt had stored in a large safe—a bulky cache, given the then-exchange rate of 1,000 rial to 15 US dollars.^[88]

Meanwhile, the Communists staged massive demonstrations to hijack Mosaddegh's initiatives, and the United States actively plotted against him. On 16 August 1953, the right wing of the Army attacked. Armed with an order by the Shah, it appointed General Fazlollah Zahedi as prime minister. A coalition of mobs and retired officers close to the Palace executed this coup d'état. They failed dismally and the Shah fled the country to Baghdad, and then to Rome. Ettelaat, the nation's largest daily newspaper, and its pro-Shah publisher, Abbas Masudi, criticised him, calling the defeat "humiliating".^{[89][full citation needed]}

During the Shah's time in Rome, a British diplomat reported that the monarch spent most of his time in nightclubs with Queen Soraya or his latest mistress, writing, "He hates taking decisions and cannot be relied on to stick to them when taken. He has no moral courage and succumbs easily to fear".^[90] To get him to support the coup, his twin sister Princess Ashraf—who was much tougher than him and publicly questioned his manhood several times—visited him on 29 July 1953 to berate him into signing a decree dismissing Mosaddegh.^[91]

In the days leading up to the second coup attempt, the communists turned against Mosaddegh. Opposition against him grew tremendously. They roamed Tehran, raising red flags and pulling down statues of Reza Shah. This was rejected by conservative clerics like Kashani and National Front leaders like Hossein Makki, who sided with the king. On 18 August 1953, Mosaddegh defended the government against this new attack. Tudeh partisans were clubbed and dispersed.^[92] The Tudeh party had no choice but to accept defeat.

The Shah's firman naming General Fazlollah Zahedi the new prime minister. Coup operatives made copies of the document and circulated it around Tehran to help regenerate momentum following the collapse of the original plan.

In the meantime, according to the CIA plot, Zahedi appealed to the military, claimed to be the legitimate prime minister and charged Mosaddegh with staging a coup by ignoring the Shah's decree. Zahedi's son Ardeshir acted as the contact between the CIA and his father. On 19 August 1953, pro-Shah partisans—bribed with $100,000 in CIA funds—finally appeared and marched out of south Tehran into the city centre, where others joined in. Gangs with clubs, knives, and rocks controlled the streets, overturning Tudeh trucks and beating up anti-Shah activists. As Roosevelt was congratulating Zahedi in the basement of his hiding place, the new Prime Minister's mobs burst in and carried him upstairs on their shoulders. That evening, Loy W. Henderson suggested to Ardashir that Mosaddegh not be harmed. Roosevelt gave Zahedi US$900,000 left from Operation Ajax funds.^[93]

After his brief exile in Italy, the Shah returned to Iran, this time through the successful second coup attempt. The deposed Mosaddegh was arrested and tried, with the king intervening and commuting his sentence to three years,^[94] to be followed by life in internal exile. Zahedi was installed to succeed Mosaddegh.^[95] Although Mohammad Reza returned to power, he never extended the elite status of the court to the technocrats and intellectuals who emerged from Iranian and Western universities. Indeed, his system irritated the new classes, for they were barred from partaking in real power.^[96]

Self-assertion: from figurehead monarch to effective authoritarian

In the aftermath of the 1953 coup d'état, Mohammad Reza was widely viewed as a figurehead monarch, and General Fazlollah Zahedi, the Prime Minister, saw himself and was viewed by others as the "strong man" of Iran.^[97] Mohammad Reza feared that history would repeat itself, remembering how his father was a general who had seized power in a coup d'état in 1921 and deposed the last Qajar shah in 1925, and his major concern in the years 1953–55 was to neutralise Zahedi.^[98] American and British diplomats in their reports back to Washington and London in the 1950s were openly contemptuous of Mohammad Reza's ability to lead, calling the Shah a weak-willed and cowardly man who was incapable of making a decision.^[98] The contempt in which the Shah was held by Iranian elites led to a period in the mid-1950s where the elite displayed fissiparous tendencies, feuding amongst themselves now that Mosaddegh had been overthrown, which ultimately allowed Mohammad Reza to play off various factions in the elite to assert himself as the nation's leader.^[98]

The very fact that Mohammad Reza was considered a coward and insubstantial turned out be an advantage as the Shah proved to be an adroit politician, playing off the factions in the elite and the Americans against the British with the aim of being an autocrat in practice as well as in theory.^[98] Supporters of the banned National Front were persecuted, but in his first important decision as leader, Mohammad Reza intervened to ensure most of the members of the National Front brought to trial, such as Mosaddegh himself, were not executed as many had expected.^[99] Many in the Iranian elite were openly disappointed that Mohammad Reza did not conduct the expected bloody purge and hang Mosaddegh and his followers as they had wanted and expected.^[99] In 1954, when twelve university professors issued a public statement criticising the 1953 coup, all were dismissed from their jobs, but in the first of his many acts of "magnanimity" towards the National Front, Mohammad Reza intervened to have them reinstated.^[100] Mohammad Reza tried very hard to co-opt the supporters of the National Front by adopting some of their rhetoric and addressing their concerns, for example declaring in several speeches his concerns about the Third World economic conditions and poverty which prevailed in Iran, a matter that had not much interested him before.^[101]

Mohammad Reza was determined to copy Mosaddegh, who had won popularity by promising broad socio-economic reforms, and wanted to create a mass powerbase as he did not wish to depend upon the traditional elites, who only wanted him as a legitimising figurehead.^[99] In 1955, Mohammad Reza dismissed General Zahedi from his position as prime minister and appointed his archenemy, the technocrat Hossein Ala' as prime minister, whom he in turn dismissed in 1957.^[102] Starting in 1955, Mohammad Reza began to quietly cultivate left-wing intellectuals, many of whom had supported the National Front and some of whom were associated with the banned Tudeh party, asking them for advice about how best to reform Iran.^[103] It was during this period that Mohammad Reza began to embrace the image of a "progressive" Shah, a reformer who would modernise Iran, who attacked in his speeches the "reactionary" and "feudal" social system that was retarding progress, bring about land reform and give women equal rights.^[103]

Determined to rule as well as reign, it was during the mid 1950s that Mohammad Reza started to promote a state cult around Cyrus the Great, portrayed as a great Shah who had reformed the country and built an empire with obvious parallels to himself.^[103] Alongside this change in image, Mohammad Reza started to speak of his desire to "save" Iran, a duty that he claimed he had been given by God, and promised that under his leadership Iran would reach a Western standard of living in the near future.^[104] During this period, Mohammad Reza sought the support of the ulema, and resumed the traditional policy of persecuting those Iranians who belonged to the Baháí Faith, allowing the chief Baháí temple in Tehran to be razed in 1955 and bringing in a law banning the Baháí from gathering together in groups.^[104] A British diplomat reported in 1954 that Reza Khan "must have been spinning in his grave at Rey. To see the arrogance and effrontery of the mullahs once again rampant in the holy city! How the old tyrant must despise the weakness of his son, who allowed these turbulent priests to regain so much of their reactionary influence!"^[104] By this time, the Shah's marriage was under strain as Queen Soraya complained about the power of Mohammad Reza's best friend Ernest Perron, whom she called a "shetun" and a "limping devil".^[105] Perron was a man much resented for his influence on Mohammad Reza and was often described by enemies as a "diabolical" and "mysterious" character, whose position was that of a private secretary, but who was one of the Shah's closest advisors, holding far more power than his job title suggested.^[37]

In a 1957 study compiled by the U.S. State Department, Mohammad Reza was praised for his "growing maturity" and no longer needing "to seek advice at every turn" as the previous 1951 study had concluded.^[106] On 27 February 1958, a military coup to depose the Shah led by General Valiollah Gharani was thwarted, which led to a major crisis in Iranian-American relations when evidence emerged that associates of Gharani had met American diplomats in Athens, which the Shah used to demand that henceforward no American officials could meet with his opponents.^[107] Another issue in Iranian-American relations was Mohammad Reza's suspicion that the United States was insufficiently committed to Iran's defense, observing that the Americans refused to join the Baghdad Pact, and military studies had indicated that Iran could only hold out for a few days in the event of a Soviet invasion.^[108]

In January 1959, the Shah began negotiations on a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union, which he claimed to have been driven to by a lack of American support.^[109] After receiving a mildly threatening letter from President Eisenhower warning him against signing the treaty, Mohammad Reza chose not to sign, which led to a major Soviet propaganda effort calling for his overthrow.^[110] Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev ordered Mohammad Reza assassinated.^[111] A sign of Mohammad Reza's power came in 1959 when a British company won a contract with the Iranian government that was suddenly cancelled and given to Siemens instead.^[112] An investigation by the British embassy soon uncovered the reason why: Mohammad Reza wanted to bed the wife of the Siemens sales agent for Iran, and the Siemens agent had consented to allowing his wife to sleep with the Shah in exchange for winning back the contract that he had just lost.^[112] On 24 July 1959, Mohammad Reza gave Israel implicit recognition by allowing an Israeli trade office to be opened in Tehran that functioned as a de facto embassy, a move that offended many in the Islamic world.^[113] When Eisenhower visited Iran on 14 December 1959, Mohammad Reza told him that Iran faced two main external threats: the Soviet Union to the north and the new pro-Soviet revolutionary government in Iraq to the west. This led him to ask for vastly increased American military aid, saying his country was a front-line state in the Cold War that needed as much military power as possible.^[113]

The Shah and Soraya's marriage ended in 1958 when it became apparent that, even with help from medical doctors, she could not bear children. Soraya later told The New York Times that the Shah had no choice but to divorce her, and that he was heavy-hearted about the decision.^[114] However, even after the marriage, it is reported that the Shah still had great love for Soraya, and it is reported that they met several times after their divorce and that she lived her post-divorce life comfortably (even though she never remarried),^[115] being paid a monthly salary of about $7,000 from Iran.^[116] Following her death in 2001 at the age of 69 in Paris, an auction of the possessions included a three-million-dollar Paris estate, a 22.37-carat diamond ring, and a 1958 Rolls-Royce.^[117]

Pahlavi subsequently indicated his interest in marrying Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy, a daughter of the deposed Italian king, Umberto II. Pope John XXIII reportedly vetoed the suggestion. In an editorial about the rumours surrounding the marriage of a "Muslim sovereign and a Catholic princess", the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, considered the match "a grave danger",^[118] especially considering that under the 1917 Code of Canon Law a Roman Catholic who married a divorced person would be automatically, and could be formally, excommunicated.

In the 1960 U.S. presidential election, the Shah had favoured the Republican candidate, incumbent Vice President Richard Nixon, whom he had first met in 1953 and rather liked, and according to the diary of his best friend Asadollah Alam, Mohammad Reza contributed money to the 1960 Nixon campaign.^[119] Relations with the victor of the 1960 election, the Democrat John F. Kennedy, were not friendly.^[119] In an attempt to mend relations after Nixon's defeat, Mohammad Reza sent General Teymur Bakhtiar of SAVAK to meet Kennedy in Washington on 1 March 1961.^[120] From Kermit Roosevelt Jr., Mohammad Reza learned that Bakhtiar, during his trip to Washington, had asked the Americans to support a coup he was planning, which greatly increased the Shah's fears about Kennedy.^[120] On 2 May 1961, a teacher's strike involving 50,000 people began in Iran, which Mohammad Reza believed was the work of the CIA.^[121] Mohammad Reza had to sack his prime minister Jafar Sharif-Emami and give in to the teachers after learning that the Army probably would not fire on the demonstrators.^[122] In 1961, Bakhtiar was dismissed as chief of SAVAK and expelled from Iran in 1962 following a clash between demonstrating university students and the army on 21 January 1962 that left three dead.^[123] In April 1962, when Mohammad Reza visited Washington, he was met with demonstrations by Iranian students at American universities, which he believed were organised by U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, the President's brother and the leading anti-Pahlavi voice in the Kennedy administration.^[124] Afterwards, Mohammad Reza visited London. In a sign of the changed dynamics in Anglo-Iranian relations, the Shah took offence when he was informed he could join Queen Elizabeth II for a dinner at Buckingham Palace that was given in somebody else's honour, insisting successfully he would have dinner with the Queen only when given in his own honour.^[124]

Mohammad Reza's first major clash with Ayatollah Khomeini occurred in 1962, when the Shah changed the local laws to allow Iranian Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and Baháí to take the oath of office for municipal councils using their holy books instead of the Koran.^[125] Khomeini wrote to the Shah to say this was unacceptable and that only the Koran could be used to swear in members of the municipal councils regardless of what their religion was, writing that he heard "Islam is not indicated as a precondition for standing for office and women are being granted the right to vote .... Please order all laws inimical to the sacred and official faith of the country to be eliminated from government policies."^[125] The Shah wrote back, addressing Khomeini as Hojat-al Islam rather than as Ayatollah, declining his request.^[125] Feeling pressure from demonstrations organised by the clergy, the Shah withdrew the offending law, but it was reinstated with the White Revolution of 1963.^[126]

MIDDLE YEARS

THE WHITE REVOLUTION

CONFLICT WITH ISLAMISTS

In 1963, Mohammad Reza launched the White Revolution, a series of far-reaching reforms, which caused much opposition from the religious scholars. They were enraged that the referendum approving of the White Revolution in 1963 allowed women to vote, with the Ayatollah Khomeini saying in his sermons that the fate of Iran should never be allowed to be decided by women.^[127] In 1963 and 1964, nationwide demonstrations against Mohammad Reza's rule took place all over Iran, with the centre of the unrest being the holy city of Qom.^[128] Students studying to be imams at Qom were most active in the protests, and Ayatollah Khomeini emerged as one of the leaders, giving sermons calling for the Shah's overthrow.^[128] At least 200 people were killed, with the police throwing some students to their deaths from high buildings, and Khomeini was exiled to Iraq in 4 October 1965.^[129]

The second attempt on the Shah's life occurred on 10 April 1965.^[130] A soldier named Reza Shamsabadi shot his way through the Marble Palace. The assassin was killed before he reached the royal quarters, but two civilian guards died protecting the Shah.^[131]

CONFLICT WITH COMMUNISTS AND SOCIALISTS

According to Vladimir Kuzichkin, a former KGB officer who defected to MI-6, the Soviet Union also targeted the Shah. The Soviets tried to use a TV remote control to detonate a bomb-laden Volkswagen Beetle; the TV remote failed to function.^[132] A high-ranking Romanian defector, Ion Mihai Pacepa, also supported this claim, asserting that he had been the target of various assassination attempts by Soviet agents for many years.^[133]

Mohammad Reza's third and final wife was Farah Diba (born 14 October 1938), the only child of Sohrab Diba, a captain in the Imperial Iranian Army (son of an Iranian ambassador to the Romanov Court in St. Petersburg, Russia), and his wife, the former Farideh Ghotbi. They were married in 1959, and Queen Farah was crowned Shahbanu, or Empress, a title created especially for her in 1967. Previous royal consorts had been known as "Malakeh" (Arabic: Malika), or Queen. The couple remained together for 21 years, until the Shah's death. They had four children together:

· Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi (born 31 October 1960), heir to the now defunct Iranian throne. Reza Pahlavi is the founder and leader of National Council of Iran, a government in exile of Iran;

· Princess Farahnaz Pahlavi (born 12 March 1963);

· Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi (28 April 1966 – 4 January 2011);

· Princess Leila Pahlavi (27 March 1970 – 10 June 2001).

One of Mohammad Reza's favourite activities was watching films, and his favourites were light French comedies and Hollywood action films, much to the disappointment of Farah, who tried hard to interest him in more serious films.^[134] Mohammad Reza was frequently unfaithful towards Farah, and his right-hand man Asadollah Alam regularly imported tall European women for "outings" with the Shah, though Alam's diary also mentions that if women from the "blue-eyed world" were not available, he would bring the Shah "local product".^[135] Mohammad Reza had an insatiable appetite for sex, and Alam's diary has the Shah constantly telling him he needed to have sex several times a day, every day, or otherwise he would fall into depression.^[135] When Farah learned about his affairs in 1973, Alam blamed the prime minister Amir Abbas Hoveyda, while the Shah thought it was the KGB. Milani noted that neither admitted it was the Shah's "crass infidelities" that caused this issue.^[135] Milani further wrote that "Alam, in his most destructive moments of sycophancy, reassured the Shah—or his 'master' as he calls him—that the country was prosperous and no one begrudged the King a bit of fun". He also had a passion for automobiles and aeroplanes, and by the mid-1970s, the Shah had amassed one of the world's largest collections of luxury cars and planes.^[136] His visits to the West were invariably the occasions for major protests by the Confederation of Iranian Students, an umbrella group of far-left Iranian university students studying abroad, and Mohammad Reza had one of the world's largest security details as he lived in constant fear of assassination.^[123]

Milani described Mohammad Reza's court as open and tolerant, noting that his and Farah's two favourite interior designers, Keyvan Khosrovani and Bijan Saffari, were openly gay, and were not penalised for their sexual orientation, with Khosrovani often advising the Shah about how to dress.^[137] Milani noted the close connection between architecture and power, as architecture is the "poetry of power" in Iran.^[137] In this sense, the Niavaran Palace, with its mixture of modernist style, heavily influenced by current French and traditional Persian styles, reflected Mohammad Reza's personality.^[138] Mohammad Reza was a Francophile whose court had a decidedly French ambiance.^[139]

Mohammad Reza commissioned a documentary from the French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse meant to glorify Iran under his rule. But he was annoyed that the film focused only on Iran's past, writing to Lamorisse there were no modern buildings in his film, which he charged made Iran look "backward".^[134] Mohammad Reza's office was functional, with ceilings and walls decorated with Qajar art.^[140] Farah began collecting modern art and by the early 1970s owned works by Picasso, Gauguin, Chagall, and Braque, which added to the modernist feel of the Niavaran Palace.^[139]

IMPERIAL CORONATION

On 26 October 1967, 26 years into his reign as Shah ("King"), he took the ancient title Shāhanshāh ("Emperor" or "King of Kings") in a lavish coronation ceremony held in Tehran. He said that he chose to wait until this moment to assume the title because, in his own opinion, he "did not deserve it" up until then; he is also recorded as saying that there was "no honour in being Emperor of a poor country", which he viewed Iran as being until that time.^[141]

2,500-YEAR CELEBRATION OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE

Main article: 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire

As part of his efforts to modernise Iran and give the Iranian people a non-Islamic identity, Mohammad Reza quite consciously started to celebrate Iranian history before the Arab conquest with a special focus on the Achaemenid period.^[142] In October 1971, he marked the anniversary of 2,500 years of continuous Persian monarchy since the founding of the Achaemenid Empire by Cyrus the Great. Concurrent with this celebration, Mohammad Reza changed the benchmark of the Iranian calendar from the Hijrah to the beginning of the First Persian Empire, measured from Cyrus the Great's coronation.^[143]

At the celebration at Persepolis in 1971, the Shah had an elaborate fireworks show intended to send a dual message; that Iran was still faithful to its ancient traditions and that Iran had transcended its past to become a modern nation, that Iran was not "stuck in the past", but as a nation that embraced modernity had chosen to be faithful to its past.^[144] The message was further reinforced the next day when the "Parade of Persian History" was performed at Persepolis when 6,000 soldiers dressed in the uniforms of every dynasty from the Achaemenids to the Pahlavis marched past Mohammad Reza in a grand parade that many contemporaries remarked "surpassed in sheer spectacle the most florid celluloid imaginations of Hollywood epics".^[144] To complete the message, Mohammad Reza finished off the celebrations by opening a brand new museum in Tehran, the Shahyad Aryamehr, that was housed in a very modernistic building and attended another parade in the newly opened Aryamehr Stadium, intended to give a message of "compressed time" between antiquity and modernity.^[144] A brochure put up by the Celebration Committee explicitly stated the message: "Only when change is extremely rapid, and the past ten years have proved to be so, does the past attain new and unsuspected values worth cultivating", going on to say the celebrations were held because "Iran has begun to feel confident of its modernization".^[144] Milani noted it was a sign of the liberalization of the middle years of Mohammad Reza's reign that Hussein Amanat, the architect who designed the Shahyad was a young Baháʼí from a middle-class family who did not belong to the "thousand families" that traditionally dominated Iran, writing that only in this moment in Iranian history such a thing was possible.^[145]

ROLE AT OPEC

Prior to the 1973 oil embargo, Iran spearheaded OPEC's aim for higher oil prices. When raising oil prices, Iran would point out the rising inflation as a means to justify the price increases.^[146] In the aftermath of the Yom Kippur War, Arab states employed an oil embargo in 1973 against Western nations. Although the Shah declared neutrality, he sought to exploit the lack of crude oil supply to Iran's benefit. The Shah held a meeting of Persian Gulf oil producers, declaring they should double the price of oil for the second time in a year. The price hike resulted in an "oil shock" that crippled Western economies while Iran saw a rapid growth of oil revenues. Iranian oil incomes doubled to $4.6 billion in 1973–1974 and spiked to $17.8 billion in the following year. As a result, the Shah had established himself as the dominant figure of OPEC, having control over oil prices and production. Iran experienced an economic growth rate of 33% in 1973 and 40% the next year, and GNI expanded 50% in the next year.^[147]

The Shah's oil coup signaled that the United States had lost the ability to influence Iranian foreign and economic policy.^[147] Under the Shah, Iran dominated OPEC and Middle Eastern oil exports.^[148]

By the 19th century, the Persian word Vatan began to refer to a national homeland for many intellectuals in Iran. The education system was controlled mainly by Shiite clergy who utilized a Maktab system in which open political discussion of modernization was prevented. However, a number of scholarly intellectuals, including Mirzā FathʿAli Ākhundzādeh, Mirzā Āqā Khān Kermāni, and Mirzā Malkam Khān began to criticize Islam's role in public life while promoting a secular identity for Iran. Over time, studies of Iran's glorious history and present reality of a declined Qajar period led many to question what led to Iran's decline.^[149] Iranian history was categorized into pre-Islamic and Islamic periods. Iran's pre-Islamic period was seen as prosperous, while the Arab invasions were seen as "a political catastrophe that pummelled the superior Iranian civilization under its hoof".^[150] Therefore, as a result of the growing number of Iranian intellectuals in the 1800s, the Ancient Persian Empire symbolized modernity and originality, while the Islamic period brought by Arab invasions imposed on Iran a period of backwardness.^[149]

Ultimately, these revelations in Iran would lead to the rise of Aryan nationalism in Iran and the perception of an "intellectual awakening", as described by Homa Katouzian. In Europe, many concepts of Aryan nationalism were directed at the anti-Jewish sentiment. In contrast, Iran's Aryan nationalism was deeply rooted in Persian history and became synonymous with an anti-Arab sentiment instead. Furthermore, the Achaemenid and Sasanian periods were perceived as the real Persia, a Persia which commanded the respect of the world and was void of foreign culture before the Arab invasions.^[149]

Thus, under the Pahlavi state, these ideas of Aryan and pre-Islamic Iranian nationalism continued with the rise of Reza Shah. Under the last Shah, the tomb of Cyrus the Great was established as a significant site for all Iranians. The Mission for My Country, written by the Shah, described Cyrus as "one of the most dynamic men in history" and stated that "wherever Cyrus conquered, he would pardon the very people who had fought him, treat them well, and keep them in their former posts .... While Iran at the time knew nothing of democratic political institutions, Cyrus nevertheless demonstrated some of the qualities which provide the strength of the great modern democracies". The Cyrus Cylinder also became an important cultural symbol and Pahlavi successfully popularized the decree as an ancient declaration of human rights.^[149] The Shah employed titles like Āryāmehr and Shāhanshāh in order to emphasize Iranian supremacy and the kings of Iran.^[151]

The Shah continued with his father's ideas of Iranian nationalism, treating Arabs as the utmost other. Nationalist narratives, which were widely accepted by a majority of Iranians, portrayed Arabs as hostile to Pahlavi's revival of "modern" and "authentic" Iran.^[152]

ECONOMIC GROWTH

In the 1970s, Iran had an economic growth rate equal to that of South Korea, Turkey, and Taiwan; Western journalists regularly predicted that Iran would become a First World nation within the next generation.^[153] Significantly, a "reverse brain drain" had begun with Iranians who had been educated in the West returning home to take up positions in government and business.^[154] The firm of Iran National, run by the Khayami brothers, had become by 1978 the largest automobile manufacturer in the Middle East, producing 136,000 cars every year while employing 12,000 people in Mashhad.^[154] Mohammad Reza had strong étatist tendencies and was deeply involved in the economy, with his economic policies bearing a strong resemblance to the same étatist policies being pursued simultaneously by General Park Chung-hee in South Korea. Mohammad Reza considered himself a socialist, saying he was "more socialist and revolutionary than anyone".^[154] Reflecting his self-proclaimed socialist tendencies, although unions were illegal, the Shah brought in labour laws that were "surprisingly fair to workers".^[135] Iran in the 1960s and 70s was a tolerant place for the Jewish minority with one Iranian Jew, David Menasheri, remembering that Mohammad Reza's reign was the "golden age" for Iranian Jews when they were equals, and when the Iranian Jewish community was one of the wealthiest Jewish communities in the world. The Baháʼí minority also did well after the bout of persecution in the mid-1950s ended, with several Baháʼí families rising to prominence in the world of Iranian business.^[155]

Under his reign, Iran experienced over a decade of double-digit GDP growth coupled with major investments in military and infrastructure.^[156] Elementary school education was made free and mandatory; in 1974, $16 billion was spent on building new schools and hospitals. The same year, Iran agreed to purchase more arms from the United States than did the rest of the world combined in any other preceding year.^[157]

The Shah's first economic plan was geared towards large infrastructure projects and improving the agricultural sector, which led to the development of many major dams, particularly in Karaj, Safīdrūd, and Dez. The next economic plan was directed and characterized by an expansion in the credit and monetary policy of the nation, which resulted in a rapid expansion of Iran's private sector, particularly in construction. From the period 1955–1959, real gross fixed capital formation in the private sector saw an average annual increase of 39.3%.^[158] The private sector credit rose by 46 percent in 1957, 61 percent in 1958, and 32 percent in 1959 (Central Bank of Iran, Annual Report, 1960 and 1961). By 1963, the Shah had begun a redistribution of land offering compensation to landlords valued on previous tax assessments, and the land obtained by the government was then sold on favorable terms to Iranian peasants.^[159] The Shah also initiated the nationalization of forests and pastures, female suffrage, profit-sharing for industrial workers, privatization of state industries, and formation of literacy corps. These developments marked a turning point in Iranian history as the nation prepared to embark on a rapid and aggressive industrialization process.^[158]

The years 1963–1978 represented the longest period of sustained growth in per capita real income that the Iranian economy ever experienced. During the 1963–77 period, gross domestic product (GDP) grew by an average annual rate of 10.5% with an annual population growth rate of around 2.7% placing Iran as one of the fasted growing economies in the world. Iran's GDP per capita was $170 in 1963, rising to $2,060 by 1977. The growth was not just a result of increased oil revenues. In fact, the non-oil GDPs grew by an average annual rate of 11.5 percent, which was higher than the average annual rate of growth experienced in oil revenues. By the fifth economic planning, oil GDP rose to 15.3% strongly outpacing growth rates in oil revenue, which only saw 0.5% growth. From 1963 to 1977, the industrial and the service sectors experienced annual growth rates of 15.0% and 14.3%, respectively. The manufacturing of cars, television sets, refrigerators, and other household goods increased substantially in Iran. For instance, from 1969 to 1977, the number of private cars produced in Iran increased steadily from 29,000 to 132,000, and the number of television sets produced rose from 73,000 in 1969 to 352,000 in 1975.^[158]

The growth of industrial sectors in Iran led to substantial urbanization of the country. The extent of urbanization rose from 31 percent in 1956 to 49 percent in 1978. By the mid-1970s, Iran's national debt was paid off, turning the nation from a debtor to a creditor nation. The balances on the nation's account for the 1959–78 period resulted in a surplus of approximately $15.17 billion. The Shah's fifth five-year economic plan sought to achieve a reduction in foreign imports through the use of higher tariffs on consumer goods, preferential bank loans to the industrialists, maintenance of an overvalued rial, and food subsidies in urban areas. These developments led to a new large industrialist class in Iran, and the nation's industrial structure was extremely insulated from threats of foreign competition.^[158]

In 1976, Iran saw its largest-ever GDP uptick, largely thanks to the Shah's economic policies. According to the World Bank, when valued in 2010 dollars, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi improved the country's per-capita GDP to $10,261, the highest at any point in Iran's history.^[160]

According to economist Fereydoun Khavand:^[161]

During these 15 years, the average annual growth rate of the country fluctuated above 10%. The total volume of Iran's economy increased nearly fivefold during this period. In contrast, during the past 40 years, Iran's average annual economic growth rate has been only about two percent. Considering the growth rate of Iran's population in the post-revolution period, the average per capita growth rate of Iran in the last 40 years is estimated between zero percent and half a percent. Among the main factors hindering the growth rate in Iran are a lack of a favorable business environment, severe investment weakness, very low levels of productivity, and constant tension in the country's regional and global relations.

Many European, American, and Japanese investment firms sought business ventures and to open up headquarters in Iran. According to one American investment banker, "They are now dependent on Western technology, but what happens when they produce and export steel and copper, when they reduce their agricultural problems? They'll eat everybody else in the Middle East alive."^[162]

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WESTERN WORLD

By the 1960s and 1970s, Iranian oil revenues experienced rapid growth. By the mid-1960s, Iran saw "weakened U.S. influence in Iranian politics" and a strengthening in the power of the Iranian state. According to Homa Katouzian, the perception that the US was the instructor of the Shah's regime due to their support for the 1953 coup contradicted the reality that "its real influence" in domestic Iranian politics and policy "declined considerably".^[163] In 1973 the Shah initiated an oil price hike with his control of OPEC further demonstrating the US no longer had influence over Iranian foreign and economic policies.^[147] In response to American media outlets critical of him, the Shah claimed that Iran's oil price hikes did little to contribute to the rising inflation in the United States. Pahlavi also implied criticism of the US for not taking the lead on anti-communist efforts.^[164]

In 1974, during the oil crisis, the Shah began an atomic nuclear energy policy, prompting US Trade Administrator William E. Simon to denounce the Shah as a "nut." In response, US President Nixon publicly apologized to the Shah through a letter in order to disassociate the president and the United States from the statement. Simon's statement illustrated the growing American tensions with Iran over the Shah's raising of oil prices. Nixon's apology covered up the reality that the Shah's ambitions to become the leader in the Persian Gulf Area and the Indian Ocean basin were placing a serious strain on his relationship with the United States, particularly as India had tested its first atomic bomb in May 1974.^{[165][page needed]}

Many critics labeled the Shah as a Western and American "puppet", an accusation that has been disproven as unfounded by contemporary scholars due to the Shah's strong regional and nationalist ambitions, which often led Tehran to disputes with its Western allies.^[166] In particular, the Carter administration which took control of the White House in 1977 saw the Shah as a troublesome ally and sought change in Iran's political system.^[167]

By the 1970s, the Shah had become a strongman. His power had dramatically increased both in Iran and internationally, and on the tenth anniversary of the White Revolution, he challenged The Consortium Agreement of 1954 and terminated the agreement after negotiations with the oil consortium resulting in the establishment of 1973 Sale and Purchase Agreement.^[168][169]

Khomeini accused the Shah of false rumors and employed Soviet methods of deception. The accusations were amplified by international media outlets, which widely propagated the information, and protests were widely shown on Iranian televisions.^[170]

Many Iranian students studied across Western Europe and the United States, where ideas of liberalism, democracy, and counterculture flourished. Among left-leaning Westerners, the Shah's reign was seen as equivalent to that of right-wing hate figures. Western anti-Shah fervor broadcast by European and American media outlets was ultimately adopted by Iranian students and intellectuals studying in the West, who accused the Shah of Westoxification when it was the students themselves who were adopting Western liberalism they experienced during their studies. These Western ideas of liberalism resulted in utopian visions for revolution and social change. In turn, the Shah criticized Western democracies and equated them to chaos.

Furthermore, the Shah chastised Americans and Europeans as being "lazy" and "lacking discipline" and criticized their student radicalism as being caused by Western decline. President Nixon expressed his concern to the Shah that Iranian students in the United States would similarly become radicalized, asking the Shah: "Are your students infected?" and "Can you do anything?"^[171]

FOREIGN RELATIONS AND POLICIES

France

In 1961, the Francophile Mohammad Reza visited Paris to meet his favourite leader, General Charles de Gaulle of France.^[172] Mohammad Reza saw height as the measure of a man and a woman (the Shah had a marked preference for tall women) and the 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) de Gaulle was his most admired leader. Mohammad Reza loved to be compared to his "ego ideal" of General de Gaulle, and his courtiers constantly flattered him by calling him Iran's de Gaulle.^[172] During the French trip, Queen Farah, who d her husband's love of French culture and language, befriended the culture minister André Malraux, who arranged for the exchange of cultural artifacts between French and Iranian museums and art galleries, a policy that remained a key component of Iran's cultural diplomacy until 1979.^[173] Many of the legitimising devices of the regime, such as the constant use of referendums, were modelled after de Gaulle's regime.^[173] Intense Francophiles, Mohammad Reza and Farah preferred to speak French rather than Persian to their children.^[174] Mohammad Reza built the Niavaran Palace, which took up 840 square metres (9,000 sq ft) and whose style was a blend of Persian and French architecture.^[175]

United States

The Shah's diplomatic foundation was the United States' guarantee that it would protect his regime, enabling him to stand up to larger enemies. While the arrangement did not preclude other partnerships and treaties, it helped to provide a somewhat stable environment in which Mohammad Reza could implement his reforms. Another factor guiding Mohammad Reza's foreign policy was his wish for financial stability, which required strong diplomatic ties. A third factor was his wish to present Iran as a prosperous and powerful nation; this fuelled his domestic policy of Westernisation and reform. A final component was his promise that communism could be halted at Iran's border if his monarchy was preserved. By 1977, the country's treasury, the Shah's autocracy, and his strategic alliances seemed to form a protective layer around Iran.^[176]

Although the US was responsible for putting the Shah in power, he did not always act as a close American ally. In the early 1960s, when the State Department's Policy Planning Staff that included William R. Polk encouraged the Shah to distribute Iran's growing revenues more equitably, slow the rush toward militarisation, and open the government to political processes, he became furious. He identified Polk as "the principal enemy of his regime." In July 1964, the Shah, Turkish President Cemal Gürsel, and Pakistani President Ayub Khan announced in Istanbul the establishment of the Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) organisation to promote joint transportation and economic projects. It also envisioned Afghanistan's joining at some time in the future. The Shah was the first regional leader to grant de facto recognition to Israel.^[177]

When interviewed on 60 Minutes by reporter Mike Wallace, he criticised American Jews for their presumed control over US media and finance, saying that The New York Times and The Washington Post were so pro-Israel in their coverage that it was a disservice to Israel's own interests. He also said that the Palestinians were "bully[ing] the world" through "terrorism and blackmail".^[178] The Shah's remarks on the alleged Jewish lobby are widely believed to have been intended to pacify the Shah's Arab critics. In any case, bilateral relations between Iran and Israel were not adversely affected.^[177]

In a 1967 memo to President Lyndon B. Johnson, US Defense Secretary Robert McNamara wrote that "our sales [to Iran] have created about 1.4 million man-years of employment in the US and over $1 billion in profits to American industry over the last five years," leading him to conclude that Iran was an arms market the United States could not do without.^[179] In June 1965, after the Americans proved reluctant to sell Mohammad Reza some of the weapons he asked for, the Shah visited Moscow, where the Soviets agreed to sell some $110 million-worth of weaponry; the threat of Iran pursuing the "Soviet option" caused the Americans to resume selling Iran weapons.^[179] Additionally, British, French, and Italian arms firms were willing to sell Iran weapons, thus giving Mohammad Reza considerable leverage in his talks with the Americans, who sometimes worried that the Shah was buying more weapons than Iran needed or could handle.^[179] The Nixon administration had no such concerns, agreeing to sell the Shah, "all available sophisticated weapons short of the atomic bomb," ^[180] in May of 1972.

ARAB COUNTRIES

Concerning the fate of Bahrain (which Britain had controlled since the 19th century, but which Iran claimed as its own territory) and three small Persian Gulf islands, the Shah negotiated an agreement with the British, which, by means of a public consensus, ultimately led to the independence of Bahrain (against the wishes of Iranian nationalists). In return, Iran took full control of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa in the Strait of Hormuz, three strategically sensitive islands which the United Arab Emirates claimed. During this period, the Shah sent one of his most trusted tribal men, Sheikh Abdulkarim Al-Faisali, and maintained cordial relations with the Persian Gulf states and established close diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia. Mohammad Reza saw Iran as the natural dominant power in the Persian Gulf region, and tolerated no challenges to Iranian hegemony, a claim supported by a gargantuan arms-buying spree that started in the early 1960s.^[181] Mohammad Reza supported the Yemeni royalists against republican forces in the Yemen Civil War (1962–70) and assisted the sultan of Oman in putting down a rebellion in Dhofar (1971). In 1971, Mohammad Reza told a journalist: "World events were such that we were compelled to accept the fact that [the] sea adjoining the Oman Sea—I mean the Indian Ocean—does not recognise borders. As for Iran's security limits—I will not state how many kilometers we have in mind, but anyone who is acquainted with geography and the strategic situation, and especially with the potential air and sea forces, know what distances from Chah Bahar this limit can reach".^[182]

From 1968 to 1975 the Iraq deported over 60,000 Iraqis of Iranian descent into Iran, causing a rise in tensions.^[183] Iran's relations with Iraq, however, were often difficult due to political instability in the latter country. Mohammad Reza was distrustful of both the socialist government of Abd al-Karim Qasim and the Arab nationalist Ba'ath Party. He resented the internationally recognised Iran-Iraq border on the Shatt al-Arab River, which a 1937 treaty fixed on the low watermark on the Iranian side, giving Iraq control of most of the Shatt al-Arab.^[184] On 19 April 1969, the Shah abrogated the treaty, and as a result, Iran ceased paying tolls to Iraq when its ships used the Shatt al-Arab, ending Iraq's lucrative source of income.^[185] He justified his move by arguing that almost all river borders all over the world ran along the thalweg, and by claiming that because most of the ships that used the Shatt al-Arab were Iranian, the 1937 treaty was unfair to Iran.^[186] Iraq threatened war over the Iranian move, but when on 24 April 1969 an Iranian tanker escorted by Iranian warships sailed down the Shatt al-Arab without paying tolls, Iraq, being the militarily weaker state, did nothing.^[187] The Iranian abrogation of the 1937 treaty marked the beginning of a period of acute Iraqi–Iranian tension that was to last until the Algiers Accords of 1975.^[187] The fact that Iraq had welcomed the former SAVAK chief General Teymur Bakhtiar to Baghdad, where he regularly met with representatives of the Tudeh Party and the Confederation of Iranian Students, added to the difficult relations between Iran and Iraq.^[188] On 7 August 1970, Bakhtiar was badly wounded by a SAVAK assassin who shot him five times, and he died five days later; Alam wrote in his diary that Mohammad Reza rejoiced at the news.^[189]

SOVIET UNION

MOHAMMAD REZA SPEAKS WITH RICHARD NIXON IN THE OVAL OFFICE, 1973

On 7 May 1972, Mohammad Reza told a visiting President Richard Nixon that the Soviet Union was attempting to dominate the Middle East via its close ally Iraq, and that to check Iraqi ambitions would also be to check Soviet ambitions.^[190] Nixon agreed to support Iranian claims to have the thalweg in the Shatt al-Arab recognised as the border and to generally back Iran in its confrontation with Iraq.^[190] Mohammad Reza financed Kurdish separatist rebels in Iraq, and to cover his tracks, armed them with Soviet weapons which Israel had seized from Soviet-backed Arab regimes, then handed them over to Iran at the Shah's behest. The initial operation was a disaster, but the Shah continued to attempt to support the rebels and weaken Iraq. Then, in 1975, the countries signed the Algiers Accord, which granted Iran equal navigation rights in the Shatt al-Arab as the thalweg was now the new border, while Mohammad Reza agreed to end his support for Iraqi Kurdish rebels.^[191] The Shah also maintained close relations with King Hussein of Jordan, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, and King Hassan II of Morocco.^[192] Beginning in 1970, Mohammad Reza formed an unlikely alliance with the militantly left-wing regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, as both leaders wanted higher oil prices for their nations, leading Iran and Libya to join forces to press for the "leapfrogging" of oil prices.^[193]

The US-Iran relationship grew more contentious as the US became more dependent on Mohammad Reza as a stabilising force in the Middle East, under the Nixon Doctrine. In a July 1969 visit to Guam, President Nixon had announced the Nixon Doctrine, which declared that the United States would honour its treaty commitments in Asia, but "as far as the problems of international security are concerned ... the United States is going to encourage and has a right to expect that this problem will increasingly be handled by, and the responsibility for it taken by, the Asian nations themselves."^[179] The particular Asian nation the Nixon Doctrine was aimed at was South Vietnam, but the Shah seized upon the doctrine, with its message that Asian nations should be responsible for their own defense, to argue that the Americans should sell him arms without limitation, a suggestion that Nixon embraced.^[179] A particular dynamic was established in American-Iranian relations from 1969 onward, in which the Americans gave in to whatever Mohammad Reza demanded, as they felt they needed a strong Iran as a pro-American force in the Middle East and could not afford to lose Iran as an ally.^[194] Further adding to the Shah's confidence was the Sino-Soviet border conflict of 1969, which forced the Red Army to make a major redeployment to the Chinese border.^[195] Mohammad Reza, who always feared the prospect of a Soviet invasion, welcomed the Sino-Soviet war and the resulting reduction of Red Army divisions along the Soviet-Iranian border as giving him more room internationally.^[195]

Under Nixon, the United States finally agreed to sever all contact with any Iranians opposed to the Shah's regime, a concession that Mohammad Reza had been seeking since 1958.^[189] The often very anti-American tone of the Iranian press was ignored because Mohammad Reza supported the US in the Vietnam War. Likewise, the Americans ignored the Shah's efforts to raise oil prices, even though it cost many American consumers more.^[194] After 1969, a process of "reverse leverage" set in, when Mohammad Reza began to dictate to the United States as the Americans needed him more than he needed the Americans.^[196] The American National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger wrote in 1982 that because of the Vietnam War, it was not politically possible in the 1970s for the United States to fight a major war: "There was no possibility of assigning any American forces to the Indian Ocean in the midst of the Vietnam War and its attendant trauma. Congress would have tolerated no such commitment; the public would not have supported it. Fortunately, Iran was willing to play this role."^[196] Consequently, the Americans badly needed Iran as an ally, which allowed Mohammad Reza to dictate to them. This experience greatly boosted the Shah's ego, as he felt he was able to impose his will on the world's most powerful nation.^[196]

IRAN AND ISRAEL VS. IRAQ

The Americans initially rejected Mohammad Reza's suggestion that they join him in supporting the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighting for independence on the grounds that an independent Kurdistan would inspire the Turkish Kurds to rebel, and they had no interest in antagonising the NATO member Turkey.^[190] Some of the Shah's advisers also felt it was unwise to support the peshmerga, saying that if the Iraqi Kurds won independence, then the Iranian Kurds would want to join them. When Nixon and Kissinger visited Tehran in May 1972, the Shah convinced them to take a larger role in what had, up to then, been a mainly Israeli-Iranian operation to aid Iraqi Kurds in their struggles against Iraq, against the warnings of the CIA and State Department that the Shah would ultimately betray the Kurds. He did this in March 1975 with the signing of the Algiers Accord that settled Iraqi-Iranian border disputes, an action taken without prior consultation with the US, after which he cut off all aid to the Kurds and prevented the US and Israel from using Iranian territory to provide them assistance.^[197]

As a way of increasing pressure on Baghdad, the peshmerga had been encouraged by Iran and the US to abandon guerrilla war for conventional war in April 1974, so the years 1974–75 saw the heaviest fighting between the Iraqi Army and the peshmerga. The sudden cut-off of Iranian support in March 1975 left the Kurds very exposed, causing them to be crushed by Iraq.^[198] The British journalist Patrick Brogan wrote that "...the Iraqis celebrated their victory in the usual manner, by executing as many of the rebels as they could lay their hands on."^[198] Kissinger later wrote in his memoirs that it was never the intention of the US or Iran to see the peshmerga actually win, as an independent Kurdistan would have created too many problems for both Turkey and Iran; rather, the intention was to "irritate" Iraq enough to force the Iraqis to change their foreign policy.^[190]

MIDDLE EAST OIL INDUSTRY

The Shah also used America's dependence on Middle Eastern oil as leverage; although Iran did not participate in the 1973 oil embargo, he purposely increased production in its aftermath to capitalise on the higher prices. In December 1973, only two months after oil prices were raised by 70 per cent, he urged OPEC nations to push prices even higher, which they agreed to do, more than doubling the price. Oil prices increased by 470 per cent over a 12-month period, which also increased Iran's GDP by 50 per cent. Despite personal pleas from President Nixon, the Shah ignored any complaints, claimed the US was importing more oil than at any time in the past, and proclaimed that "the industrial world will have to realise that the era of their terrific progress and even more terrific income and wealth based on cheap oil is finished."^[197]

MODERNIZATION AND STYLE OF GOVERNANCE

Further information: White Revolution

With Iran's great oil wealth, the Shah became the preeminent leader of the Middle East, and self-styled "Guardian" of the Persian Gulf. In 1961, he defended his style of rule, saying, "When Iranians learn to behave like Swedes, I will behave like the King of Sweden."^[199]

During the last years of his regime, the Shah's government became more autocratic. In the words of a US Embassy dispatch: "The Shah's picture is everywhere. The beginning of all film showings in public theaters presents the Shah in various regal poses accompanied by the strains of the National Anthem ... The monarch also actively extends his influence to all phases of social affairs ... There is hardly any activity or vocation in which the Shah or members of his family or his closest friends do not have a direct or at least a symbolic involvement. In the past, he had claimed to take a two-party system seriously and declared, 'If I were a dictator rather than a constitutional monarch, then I might be tempted to sponsor a single dominant party such as Hitler organised'."^[200]

However, by 1975, Mohammad Reza had abolished the two-party system of government in favour of a one-party state under the Rastakhiz (Resurrection) Party. This was the merger of the New Iran Party,^[201] a centre-right party, and the People's Party,^[202] a liberal party. The Shah justified his actions by declaring, "We must straighten out Iranians' ranks. To do so, we divide them into two categories: those who believe in Monarchy, the constitution and the Six Bahman Revolution and those who don't ... A person who does not enter the new political party and does not believe in the three cardinal principles will have only two choices. He is either an individual who belongs to an illegal organisation, or is related to the outlawed Tudeh Party, or in other words a traitor. Such an individual belongs to an Iranian prison, or if he desires he can leave the country tomorrow, without even paying exit fees; he can go anywhere he likes, because he is not Iranian, he has no nation, and his activities are illegal and punishable according to the law."^[203] In addition, the Shah had decreed that all Iranian citizens and the few remaining political parties become part of Rastakhiz.^[204]

IMAGE AND SELF-IMAGE IN THE 1970S

From 1973 onward, Mohammad Reza had proclaimed his aim as that of the tamaddon-e-bozorg, the "Great Civilisation", a turning point not only in Iran's history, but also the history of the entire world—a claim that was taken seriously for a time in the West.^[205] On 2 December 1974, The New Yorker published an article by Paul Erdman that was a conjectural future history entitled "The Oil War of 1976: How The Shah Won the World: The World as We Knew It Came to an End When the Shah Of Iran Decided to Restore The Glory of Ancient Persia with Western Arms".^[206] In 1975, US Vice President Nelson Rockefeller declared in a speech: "We must take His Imperial Majesty to the United States for a couple of years so that he can teach us how to run a country."^[207] In 1976, a pulp novel by Alan Williams was published in the United States under the title A Bullet for the Shah: All They Had To Do Was Kill the World's Most Powerful Man, whose sub-title reveals much about how the American people viewed the Shah at the time (the original British title was the more prosaic Shah-Mak).^[206]

The great wealth generated by Iran's oil encouraged a sense of nationalism at the Imperial Court. Empress Farah recalled her days as a university student in 1950s France about being asked where she was from:^[208]

When I told them Iran ... the Europeans would recoil in horror as if Iranians were barbarians and loathsome. But after Iran became wealthy under the Shah in the 1970s, Iranians were courted everywhere. Yes, Your Majesty. Of course, Your Majesty. If you please, Your Majesty. Fawning all over us. Greedy sycophants. Then they loved Iranians.

Mohammad Reza shared the empress's sentiments as Westerners came begging to his court looking for his largesse, leading him to remark in 1976:^[208]

Now we are the masters and our former masters are our slaves. Everyday [sic?] they beat a track to our door begging for favors. How can they be of assistance? Do we want arms? Do we want nuclear power stations? We have only to answer, and they will fulfill our wishes.

Because the House of Pahlavi were a parvenu house – as Reza Khan had begun his career as a private in the Persian Army, rising up to the rank of general, taking power in a coup d'état in 1921, and making himself shah in 1925 – Mohammad Reza was keen to gain the approval of the older royal families of the world, and was prepared to spend large sums of money to gain that social acceptance.^[209]

Amongst the royalty that came to Tehran looking for the Shah's generosity were King Hussein of Jordan, the former King Constantine II of Greece, King Hassan II of Morocco, the princes and princesses of the Dutch House of Orange, and the Italian Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy, whom the Shah had once courted in the 1950s.^[209] He coveted the British Order of the Garter, and had, prior to courting Maria Gabriella, inquired about marrying Princess Alexandra of Kent, granddaughter of King George V, but in both cases he was rebuffed in no uncertain terms.^[210] As an Iranian, Mohammad Reza greatly enjoyed supporting the Greek branch of the House of Glücksburg, knowing the Greeks still celebrated their victories over the Persians in the 5th and 4th centuries BC.^[209] He enjoyed close relations with Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, as demonstrated by the fact that he was the guest of honour at the Persepolis celebrations in 1971. Ethiopia and Iran, along with Turkey and Israel, were envisioned as an "alliance of the periphery" that would constrain Arab power in the greater Middle East.^[211]

In an era of high oil prices, Iran's economy boomed while the economies of the Western nations were trapped in stagflation (economic stagnation and inflation) after the 1973–74 oil shocks, which seemed to prove the greatness of Mohammad Reza both to himself and to the rest of the world.^[212] In 1975, both the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson and the French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing made pleading phone calls to Mohammad Reza asking him for loans, which ultimately led the Shah to give a US$1 billion loan to the United Kingdom and another US$1 billion to France.^[212] In a televised speech in January 1975 explaining why he was lending Britain a sum equal to US$1 billion, Mohammad Reza declared in his usual grandiose style: "I have known the most dark hours when our country was obliged to pass under the tutelage of foreign powers, amongst them England. Now I find that England has not only become our friend, our equal, but also the nation to which, should we be able, we will render assistance with pleasure," going on to say that since he "belonged to this [European] world," he did not want Europe to collapse economically.^[212] As Britain had often dominated Iran in the past, the change in roles was greatly gratifying to Mohammad Reza.^[212]

Courtiers at the Imperial court were devoted to stroking the Shah's ego, competing to be the most sycophantic, with Mohammad Reza being regularly assured he was a greater leader than his much admired General de Gaulle, that democracy was doomed, and that based on Rockefeller's speech, that the American people wanted Mohammad Reza to be their leader, as well as doing such a great job as Shah of Iran.^[207] According to historian Abbas Milani, all of this praise boosted Mohammad Reza's ego, and he went from being a merely narcissistic man to a megalomaniac, believing himself a man chosen by Allah Himself to transform Iran and create the "Great Civilisation".^[206][207] When one of the Shah's courtiers suggested launching a campaign to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, he wrote on the margin: "If they beg us, we might accept. They give the Nobel to kaka siah ["any black face"] these days. Why should we belittle ourselves with this?"^[213] Befitting all this attention and praise, Mohammad Reza started to make increasingly outlandish claims for the "Great Civilisation", telling the Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci in a 1973 interview with L'Europeo:^[214]

Halfway measures, compromises, are unfeasible. In other words, either one is a revolutionary or one demands law and order. One can't be a revolutionary with law and order. And even less with tolerance ... when Castro came to power, he killed at least 10,000 people ... in a sense, he was really capable, because he's still in power. So am I, however! And I intend to stay there, and to demonstrate that one can achieve a great many things by the use of force, show even that your old socialism is finished. Old, obsolete, finished ... I achieve more than the Swedes ... Huh! Swedish socialism! It didn't even nationalize forests and water. But I have ... my White Revolution ... is a new original kind of socialism and ... believe me, in Iran we're far more advanced than you and we really have nothing to learn from you.

In an interview with Der Spiegel published on 3 February 1974, Mohammad Reza declared: "I would like you to know that in our case, our actions are not just to take vengeance on the West. As I said, we are going to be a member of your club".^[215] In a press conference on 31 March 1974, Mohammad Reza predicted what Iran would be like in 1984, saying:^[216]

In the cities, electric cars would replace the gas engines and mass transportation systems would be switched to electricity, monorail over the ground or electric buses. And, furthermore, in the great era of civilization that lies ahead of our people, there will be least two or three holidays a week.

In 1976, Mohammad Reza told the Egyptian journalist Mohamed Hassanein Heikal in an interview: "I want the standard of living in Iran in ten years' time to be exactly on a level with that in Europe today. In twenty years' time we shall be ahead of the United States".^[216]

Reflecting his need to have Iran seen as "part of the world" (by which Mohammad Reza meant the western world), all through the 1970s he sponsored conferences in Iran at his expense, with for example in one week in September 1975 the International Literacy Symposium meeting in Persepolis, the International Congress of Philosophy meeting in Mashhad and the International Congress of Mithraic Studies meeting in Tehran.^[218] He also sought to hold the 1984 Summer Olympics in Tehran. For most ordinary Iranians, struggling with inflation, poverty, air pollution, having to pay extortion payments to the police who demanded money from even those performing legal jobs such as selling fruits on the street, and daily traffic jams, the Shah's sponsorship of international conferences was just a waste of money and time.^[219] Meanwhile between 1950 and 1979, real GDP per capita nearly tripled from about $2700 to about $7700 (2011 international dollars). With heavy investments in education, science, and infrastructure ^[220] Furthermore, conferences on pre-Islamic practices such as the cult of Mithra fuelled religious anxieties.^[221] Though Mohammad Reza envisioned the "Great Civilisation" of a modernised Iran whose standard of living would be higher than that of the United States and at the forefront of modern technology, he did not envision any political change, making it clear that Iran would remain an autocracy.^[216]

ACHIEVEMENTS

WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND PEASANT CLASS

In his "White Revolution" starting in the 1960s, Mohammad Reza made major changes to modernise Iran. He curbed the power of certain ancient elite factions by expropriating large and medium-sized estates for the benefit of more than four million small farmers. He took a number of other major measures, including extending suffrage to women and the participation of workers in factories through s and other measures. In the 1970s, the governmental programme of free-of-charge nourishment for children at school known as "Taghziye Rāyegan" (Persian: تغذیه رایگان lit. free nourishment) was implemented. Under the Shah's reign, the national Iranian income showed an unprecedented rise for an extended period.

EDUCATION AND MILITARY

Improvement of the educational system was made through the creation of new elementary schools. In addition, literacy courses were set up in remote villages by the Imperial Iranian Armed Forces, this initiative being called "Sepāh-e Dānesh" (Persian: سپاه دانش) meaning "Army of Knowledge". The Armed Forces were also engaged in infrastructural and other educational projects throughout the country "Sepāh-e Tarvij va Ābādāni" (Persian: سپاه ترویج و آبادانی lit. army for promotion and development) as well as in health education and promotion "Sepāh-e Behdāsht" (Persian: سپاه بهداشت lit. "army for hygiene"). The Shah instituted exams for Islamic theologians to become established clerics. Many Iranian university students were sent to and supported in foreign, especially Western, countries and the Indian subcontinent.

Between 1967 and 1977, the number of universities increased in number from 7 to 22, the number of institutions of advanced learning rose from 47 to 200, and the number of students in higher education soared from 36,742 to 100,000. Iran's literacy programs were among the most innovative and effective anywhere in the world, so that by 1977 the number of Iranians able to read and write had climbed from just 27 percent to more than 80 percent.^[222]

In the field of diplomacy, Iran realised and maintained friendly relations with Western and East European countries as well as Israel and China and became, especially through its close friendship with the United States, more and more a hegemonial power in the Persian Gulf region and the Middle East.

As to infrastructural and technological progress, the Shah continued and developed further the policies introduced by his father. His programmes included projects in technologies such as steel, telecommunications, petrochemical facilities, power plants, dams and the automobile industry. The Aryamehr University of Technology was established as a major new academic institution.^{[223][page needed][165][page needed][224][page needed]}

International cultural cooperation was encouraged and organised, such as the 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire and Shiraz Arts Festival. As part of his various financial support programmes in the fields of culture and arts, the Shah, along with King Hussein of Jordan made a donation to the Chinese Muslim Association for the construction of the Taipei Grand Mosque.^[225]

NUCLEAR PROGRAM

The Shah also led a massive military build-up and began the construction of many nuclear facilities.^[162] By 1977, Iran was considered the fifth strongest nation in the world according to a report by Georgetown University.^[226] The Shah announced the days of foreign exploitation in Iran were over and exclaimed statements such as: "Nobody can dictate to us", and "Nobody can wave a finger at us because we will wave back."^[162]

The Shah sought to protect Iran's interests through various means such as funding foreign rebellions in Iraq, military support in Oman, financial/military action, and diplomacy, prompting the CIA to conclude that:^[227]

In summary, thanks to the Shah himself and oil resources, Iran is well on its way to playing a leading role in the Mid East with a modernized elite, large economic resources and strong forces. Succession is always a question in an authoritarian regime, even a benevolent one, but each year reinforces the social and political momentum in the direction the Shah has set. I believe the US can keep close to and benefit from this process and even influence Iran toward a positive regional and world role rather than a bid for area hegemony or other adventurism.

Despite criticism from Western skeptics, the Shah came to be seen, particularly in the two superpowers and other European powers, as a master statesman through his domestic reforms, popular base in Iran, successful opposition to radical Arab neighbors, and ambitions for regional stability and prosperity. The fall of the Pahlavi order in 1979 removed the Shah's stabilizing efforts, leading to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the destabilization of Pakistani politics, the emergence of Saudi Arabia as a major oil power, the rise of Saddam Hussein and Ba'athists in regional conflicts, and the subsequent Wahhabi-Salafi militancy.^[228]

ECONOMIC REFORMS

Under the Shah's leadership, Iran experienced an impressive transformation of the economy. From 1925 to 1976 Iran's economy had grown 700 times, per capita 200 times, and domestic capital formation 3,400 times most of which occurred during the reign of the second Pahlavi Monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Iran enjoyed an average annual industrial growth rate of over 20% from 1963 to 1976. From 1965 to 1976 Iranian per capita income rose 8 times from $195 to $1,600. By 1978 per capita income surpassed $2,400. Much of the growth was not due to oil income. Among the OPEC oil-producing nations experts agreed only Iran's growth was due to an intelligent development plan while the growth seen in nations such as Saudi Arabia and Libya was solely based upon oil revenues. Iran's growth was expected to continue, with half of the Iranian families expected to own cars by 1985, per capita income reaching $4,500 ($13,471 adjusted for inflation), Iran would produce twenty million tons of steel annually, one million tons of aluminum, one million cars, three million television sets, one million tons of paper, and a large number of engineers.^[229]

During the Shah's rule, Iran's average income level was nearing that of Western European nations, and Iranians experienced an unprecedented amount of prosperity and opportunity with an emerging middle class. Iran's growing prosperity coupled with goals of independence allowed for increasing autonomy from Western nations like the US. From 1963 to 1977 Iran experienced an average annual growth rate of 10.5% making it one of the world's fastest-growing economies and Iran experienced its largest GDP growth ever. The economic growth was not simply based on oil, in fact, non-oil revenues grew at a faster rate of 11.5% annually.^[230]

During the 1960s and 1970s, Iran's society and the economy experienced a great transformation as a result of rapid industrialization. The state invested in infrastructure to develop industry and provided financial capital resulting in profitable conditions for private Iranian companies. As a result, Iran's development across the industrialization scale, technological advancement, economic growth, urbanization, and per capita income increase was extraordinary compared to other developing nations. World Bank data during this period reveals Iran had an annual real growth rate of 9.6% for middle-income categories which was the highest of any other country in the developing world. Investment, savings, consumption, employment, and per capita income also demonstrated exceptional growth. Gross domestic investment grew at an average yearly rate of 16% and reached 33% of the GDP by 1977–1978. Iranian consumption grew on average by 18% a year. Iran's middle class was far larger than any other developing country. Iran's economic growth was compared to that of rapidly industrializing Asian countries such as South Korea. Since the revolution, Iran's economic growth and rapid industrialization have plummeted, largely due to Western sanctions.^[148]

During the early 1970s, with the success of the Shah's White Revolution, Iran had become a country of economic opportunity, and its international status was rising. From 1959 and 1970 the gross national product (GNP) approximately tripled rising from $3.8 to $10.6 billion and by the late 1960s Iran become one of the middle east's most flourishing spots for investment among foreign investors due to financial stability and rise in purchasing power. Many foreign powers struggled to compete for relations with Iran due to the rising potential of its growing marketplace. Iran Air also became one of the fastest growing airlines in the world and many Iranian construction companies some funded by the state had been involved in many construction projects such as Pre-Fab Inc. which created the precast concrete benches for the Āryāmehr Stadium.^{[231][page needed]}

ISLAMIC REVOLUTION

Background

Main article: Iranian Revolution

See also: Jimmy Carter's engagement with Ruhollah Khomeini

The overthrow of the Shah came as a surprise to almost all observers.^[232][233] The first militant anti-Shah demonstrations of a few hundred started in October 1977, after the death of Khomeini's son Mostafa.^[234] On 7 January 1978, an article "Iran and Red and Black Colonization" was published in the newspaper Ettela'at attacking Ruhollah Khomeini, who was in exile in Iraq at the time; it referred to him as a homosexual, a drug addict, and a British spy, and claimed he was an Indian, not an Iranian.^[235] Khomeini's supporters had brought in audio tapes of his sermons, and Mohammad Reza was angry with one sermon, alleging corruption on his part, and decided to hit back with the article, despite the feeling at the court, SAVAK, and Ettela'at editors that the article was an unnecessary provocation that was going to cause trouble.^[235] The next day, protests against the article began in the city of Qom, a traditional centre of opposition to the House of Pahlavi.^[236]

REZA'S CANCER DIAGNOSIS

In 1974, the Shah's doctor, Abdol Karim Ayadi, diagnosed the Shah with splenomegaly after he complained of a swollen abdomen. On 1 May 1974, French professor Dr. Georges Flandrin flew to Tehran to treat the Shah. On the first visit, Flandrin was able to diagnose the Shah with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The Shah's diagnosis of cancer would not be revealed to him until 1978. Medical reports given to the Shah were falsified and altered in order to state that the Shah was in good health, to conceal his cancer from him. In 1976, the Shah met with French physicians in Zurich; they were disturbed by his abnormal blood count. They discovered he was being treated with the wrong medication, worsening his condition.^[237]

Tehran on 31 December 1977: Mohammad Reza and Farah with New Year's guests King Hussein and President Jimmy Carter

As his health worsened, from the spring of 1978, the Shah stopped appearing in public, with the official explanation being that he was suffering from a "persistent cold".^[238] In May 1978, the Shah suddenly cancelled a long-planned trip to Hungary and Bulgaria.^[238] He spent the entire summer of 1978 in Ramsar Palace at Ramsar, the Caspian Sea resort town, where two of France's most prominent doctors, Jean Bernard and Georges Flandrin, treated his cancer.^[238] To try to stop his cancer, Bernard and Flandrin had Shah Mohammad Reza take prednisone, a drug with numerous potential side effects including depression and impaired thinking.^[238][239]

As nationwide protests and strikes swept Iran, the imperial court found it nearly impossible to get decisions from the increasingly reclusive Shah, as he became utterly passive and indecisive, content to spend hours listlessly staring into space as he rested by the Caspian Sea while the revolution raged.^[238] The seclusion of the Shah, who normally loved the limelight, sparked all sorts of rumors about the state of his health and damaged the imperial mystique, as the man who had been presented as a god-like ruler was revealed to be fallible.^[240] A July 1978 attempt to deny the rumors of Shah Mohammad Reza's declining health (by publishing a crudely doctored photograph in the newspapers of the Emperor and Empress walking on the beach) instead further damaged the imperial mystique, as most people realised that what appeared to be two beach clogs on either side of the Shah were merely substitutes inserted for his airbrushed aides, who were holding him up as he now had difficulty walking by himself.^[241]

In June 1978, Shah Mohammad Reza's French doctors first revealed to the French government how serious his cancer was, and in September, the French government informed the American government that the Shah was dying of cancer; until then, US officials had no idea that Mohammad Reza had even been diagnosed with cancer four years earlier.^[242] The Shah had created a very centralised system in which he was the key decision-maker on all issues, and as historian Abbas Milani noted, he was mentally disabled in the summer of 1978 owing to his tendency to be indecisive when faced with a crisis which, combined with his cancer and the effects of the anti-cancer drugs, made his mood "increasingly volatile and unpredictable. One day, he was full of verve and optimism and the next day or hour he fell into a catatonic stupor", bringing the entire government to a halt.^[243] Milani wrote that the Shah was in 1978 "beset with depression, indecision and paralysis, and his indecision led to the immobilisation of the entire system."^[244] Empress Farah grew so frustrated with her husband that she suggested numerous times that he leave Iran for medical treatment and appoint her as regent, saying she would handle the crisis and save the House of Pahlavi. Mohammad Reza vetoed this idea, saying he did not want Farah to be a "Joan of Arc", and it would be too humiliating for him as a man to flee Iran and leave a woman in charge.^[244]

BLACK FRIDAY MASSACRE

Main article: Black Friday (1978)

The Shah-centred command structure of the Iranian military and the lack of training to confront civil unrest were marked by disaster and bloodshed. There were several instances where army units had opened fire, the most significant being the events on 8 September 1978. That day, at least 64 and perhaps 100 or more people were shot dead, and the Pahlavi military injured 205 in Jaleh Square. The deaths were described as the pivotal event in the Iranian Revolution that ended any "hope for compromise" between the protest movement and the regime of Reza.^{[245][246][failed verification][247][248][249][250][251]}

COLLAPSE OF THE REGIME

Hoping to calm the situation, on 2 October 1978, the Shah granted a general amnesty to dissidents living abroad, including Ayatollah Khomeini.^[252] But by then it was too little and too late. October 1978 was characterized by extreme unrest and open opposition to the monarchy; strikes paralyzed the country, and in early December, a "total of 6 to 9 million"—more than 10% of the country—marched against the Shah throughout Iran.^[253] In October 1978, after flying over a huge demonstration in Tehran in his helicopter, Shah Mohammad Reza accused the British ambassador Sir Anthony Parsons and the American ambassador William H. Sullivan of organising the demonstrations, screaming that he was being "betrayed" by the United Kingdom and the United States.^[254] The fact that the BBC's journalists tended to be very sympathetic towards the revolution was viewed by most Iranians, including Mohammad Reza, as a sign that Britain supported the revolution. This impression turned out to be crucial, as the Iranian people had a very exaggerated idea about Britain's capacity to "direct events" in Iran.^[255] In a subsequent internal inquiry, the BBC found many of its more left-wing journalists disliked Mohammad Reza as a "reactionary" force and sympathised with a revolution seen as "progressive".^[256]

Reza spent much of his time working out various conspiracy theories about who was behind the revolution, with his favourite candidates being some combination of Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union.^[257] Milani wrote that Mohammad Reza's view of the revolution as a gigantic conspiracy organised by foreign powers suggested that there was nothing wrong with Iran, and the millions of people demonstrating against him were just dupes being used by foreigners, a viewpoint that did not encourage concessions and reforms until it was too late.^[244] For much of 1978, Mohammad Reza saw his enemies as "Marxist" revolutionaries rather than Islamists.^[254] The Shah had exaggerated ideas about the power of the KGB, which he thought of as omnipotent, and often expressed the view that all of the demonstrations against him had been organised in Moscow, saying only the KGB had the power to bring out thousands of ordinary people to demonstrate.^[258]

In October 1978, the oil workers went on strike, shutting down the oil industry and Mohammad Reza's principal source of revenue.^[259] The Iranian military had no plans in place to deal with such an event, and the strike pushed the regime to the economic brink.^[259]

The revolution had attracted support from a broad coalition ranging from secular, far-left nationalists to Islamists on the right, and Khomeini, who was temporarily living in Paris after being expelled from Iraq, chose to present himself as a moderate able to bring together all the different factions leading the revolution.^[260] On 3 November, a SAVAK plan to arrest about 1,500 people considered to be leaders of the revolution was submitted to Mohammad Reza, who at first tentatively agreed, but then changed his mind, disregarding not only the plan, but also dismissing its author, Parviz Sabeti.^[261] On 5 November 1978, Mohammad Reza went on Iranian television to say, "I have heard the voice of your revolution" and promise major reforms.^[262] In a major concession to the opposition, on 7 November 1978, Mohammad Reza freed all political prisoners while ordering the arrest of the former prime minister Amir-Abbas Hoveyda and several senior officials of his regime, a move that both emboldened his opponents and demoralised his supporters.^[235]

On 21 November 1978, the Treasury Secretary of the United States W. Michael Blumenthal visited Tehran to meet Mohammad Reza and reported back to President Jimmy Carter, "This man is a ghost", as by now the ravages of his cancer could no longer be concealed.^[263]

In late December 1978, the Shah learned that many of his generals were making overtures to the revolutionary leaders, and the loyalty of the military could no longer be assured.^[264] In a sign of desperation, Shah Mohammad Reza reached out to the National Front the following month, asking if one of their leaders would be willing to become prime minister.^[265] The Shah was especially interested in having the National Front's Gholam Hossein Sadighi as prime minister.^[265] Sadighi had served as interior minister under Mosaddegh, had been imprisoned after the 1953 coup, and pardoned by Mohammad Reza on the grounds that he was a "patriot".^[266] Sadighi remained active in the National Front and had often been harassed by SAVAK but was willing to serve as prime minister under Mohammad Reza in order to "save" Iran, saying he feared what might come after if the Shah was overthrown.^[266]

Despite the opposition of the other National Front leaders, Sadighi visited the Niavaran palace several times in December 1978 to discuss the terms under which he might become prime minister, with the main sticking point being that he wanted the Shah not to leave Iran, saying he needed to remain in order to ensure the loyalty of the military.^[265]

On 7 December 1978, it was announced that President Carter of the US, President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing of France, Chancellor Helmut Schmidt of West Germany and Prime Minister James Callaghan of the United Kingdom would meet in Guadeloupe on 5 January 1979 to discuss the crisis in Iran.^[267] For Mohammad Reza, this announcement was the final blow, and he was convinced that the Western leaders were holding the meeting to discuss how best to abandon him.^[268]

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC

On 16 January 1979, Mohammad Reza Shah made a contract with Farboud and left Iran at the behest of Prime Minister Shapour Bakhtiar (a longtime opposition leader himself), who sought to calm the situation.^[269] As Mohammad Reza boarded the plane to take him out of Iran, many of the Imperial Guardsmen wept while Bakhtiar did little to hide his disdain and dislike for the Shah.^[270] Spontaneous attacks by members of the public on statues of the Pahlavis followed, and "within hours, almost every sign of the Pahlavi dynasty" was destroyed.^{[271][full citation needed]} Bakhtiar dissolved SAVAK, freed all political prisoners, and allowed Ayatollah Khomeini to return to Iran after years in exile. He asked Khomeini to create a Vatican-like state in Qom, promised free elections, and called upon the opposition to help preserve the constitution, proposing a "national unity" government including Khomeini's followers. Khomeini rejected Bakhtiar's demands and appointed his own interim government, with Mehdi Bazargan as prime minister, stating that "I will appoint a state. I will act against this government. With the nation's support, I will appoint a state."^[272] In February, pro-Khomeini revolutionary guerrilla and rebel soldiers gained the upper hand in street fighting, and the military announced its neutrality. On the evening of 11 February, the dissolution of the monarchy was complete.^[273]

EXILE

During his second exile, Mohammad Reza traveled from country to country seeking what he hoped would be temporary residence. First, he flew to Aswan, Egypt, where he received a warm and gracious welcome from President Anwar El-Sadat. He later lived in Marrakesh, Morocco, as a guest of King Hassan II. Mohammad Reza loved to support royalty during his time as Shah and one of those who benefitted had been Hassan, who received an interest-free loan of US$110 million from his friend.^[274] Mohammad Reza expected Hassan to return the favour, but he soon learned Hassan had other motives. Richard Parker, the US ambassador to Morocco, reported, "The Moroccans believed the Shah was worth about $2 billion, and they wanted to take their share of the loot".^[275] After leaving Morocco, Mohammad Reza lived in Paradise Island, in a private house in the Bahamas^[276], and in Cuernavaca, Mexico, near Mexico City, as a guest of president José López Portillo. Richard Nixon, the former US president, visited the Shah in summer 1979 in Mexico.^[277]

DECLINE OF HEALTH

A US doctor, Benjamin Kean, who examined Mohammad Reza in Cuernavaca later wrote:^[278]

There was no longer any doubt. The atmosphere had changed completely. The Shah's appearance was stunningly worse ... Clearly he had obstructive jaundice. The odds favored gallstones, since his fever, chills and abdominal distress suggested an infection of the biliary tract. Also he had a history of indigestion. Besides the probable obstruction—he now had been deeply jaundiced for six to eight weeks—he was emaciated and suffering from hard tumor nodes in the neck and a swollen spleen, signs that his cancer was worsening, and he had severe anemia and very low white blood [cell] counts.

The Shah suffered from gallstones that required prompt surgery. He was offered treatment in Switzerland but insisted on treatment in the United States. President Carter did not wish to admit Mohammad Reza to the US but came under pressure from Henry Kissinger, who phoned Carter to say he would not endorse the SALT II treaty that Carter had just signed with the Soviet Union unless the former Shah was allowed into the United States, reportedly prompting Carter more than once to hang up his phone in rage in the Oval Office and shout "Fuck the Shah!".^[279] Because many Republicans were attacking the SALT II treaty as a US give-away to the Soviet Union, Carter desired the endorsement of a Republican elder statesman like Kissinger to fend off this criticism. Mohammad Reza had decided not to tell his Mexican doctors he had cancer, and the Mexican doctors had misdiagnosed his illness as malaria, giving him a regime of anti-malarial drugs that did nothing to treat his cancer, which caused his health to go into rapid decline as he lost 30 pounds (14 kg).^[279]

In September 1979, a doctor sent by David Rockefeller reported to the State Department that Mohammad Reza needed to come to the United States for medical treatment, an assessment not d by Kean, who stated that the proper medical equipment for treating Mohammad Reza's cancer could be found in Mexico and the only problem was the former Shah's unwillingness to tell the Mexicans he had cancer.^[280] The State Department warned Carter not to admit the former Shah into the US, saying it was likely that the Iranian regime would seize the US embassy in Tehran if that occurred.^[281] Milani suggested there was a possible conflict of interest on the part of Rockefeller, noting that his Chase Manhattan Bank had given Iran a $500 million loan under questionable conditions in 1978 (several lawyers had refused to endorse the loan) which placed the money in an account with Chase Manhattan; that the new Islamic Republic had been making "substantial withdrawals" from its account with Chase Manhattan; and that Rockefeller wanted Mohammad Reza in the US, knowing full well it was likely to cause the Iranians to storm the US embassy, which in turn would cause the US government to freeze Iranian financial assets in America—such as the Iranian account at Chase Manhattan.^[281]

TREATMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

On 22 October 1979, President Jimmy Carter reluctantly allowed the Shah into the United States to undergo surgical treatment at the Weill Cornell Medical Center. While there, Mohammad Reza used the name of "David D. Newsom," Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at that time, as his temporary code name, without Newsom's knowledge. The Shah was taken later by U.S. Air Force jet to Kelly Air Force Base in Texas and from there to Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base.^[282] It was anticipated that his stay in the United States would be short; however, surgical complications ensued, which required six weeks of confinement in the hospital before he recovered. His prolonged stay in the United States was extremely unpopular with the revolutionary movement in Iran, which still resented the United States' overthrow of Prime Minister Mosaddegh and the years of support for the Shah's rule. The Iranian government demanded his return to Iran, but he stayed in the hospital.^[283] Mohammad Reza's time in New York was highly uncomfortable; he was under a heavy security detail as every day, Iranian students studying in the US gathered outside his hospital to shout "Death to the Shah!", a chorus that Mohammad Reza heard.^[284] The former Shah was obsessed with watching news from Iran, and was greatly upset at the new order being imposed by the Islamic Republic.^[284] Mohammad Reza could no longer walk by this time, and for security reasons had to be moved in his wheelchair under the cover of darkness when he went to the hospital while covered in a blanket, as the chances of his assassination were too great.^[284]

There are claims that Reza's admission to the United States resulted in the storming of the US Embassy in Tehran and the kidnapping of US diplomats, military personnel, and intelligence officers, which soon became known as the Iran hostage crisis.^[285] In the Shah's memoir, Answer to History, he claimed that the United States never provided him any kind of health care and asked him to leave the country.^[286] From the time of the storming of the US embassy in Tehran and the taking of the embassy staff as hostages, Mohammad Reza's presence in the United States was viewed by the Carter administration as a stumbling block to the release of the hostages, and as Zonis noted "... he was, in effect, expelled from the country".^[287] Mohammad Reza wanted to go back to Mexico, saying he had pleasant memories of Cuernavaca, but was refused.^[288] Mexico was a candidate to be a rotating member of the UN Security Council, but needed the vote of Cuba to be admitted, and the Cuban leader Fidel Castro told President José López Portillo that Cuba's vote was conditional on Mexico not accepting the Shah again.^[288]

He left the United States on 15 December 1979 and lived for a short time in the Isla Contadora in Panama. This caused riots by Panamanians who objected to the Shah being in their country. General Omar Torrijos, the dictator of Panama, kept Mohammad Reza Shah as a virtual prisoner at the Paitilla Medical Center, a hospital condemned by the former Shah's US doctors as "an inadequate and poorly staffed hospital", and in order to hasten his death allowed only Panamanian doctors to treat his cancer.^[289] General Torrijos, a populist left-winger, had only taken in Mohammad Reza under heavy US pressure, and he made no secret of his dislike of Mohammad Reza, whom he called after meeting him "the saddest man he had ever met".^[290] When he first met Mohammad Reza, Torrijos taunted him by telling him "it must be hard to fall off the Peacock Throne into Contadora" and called him a chupon, a Spanish slang term for "someone who is finished".^[290]

Torrijos added to Mohammad Reza's misery by making his chief bodyguard a militantly Marxist sociology professor who spent much time lecturing Mohammad Reza on how he deserved his fate because he had been a tool of the "American imperialism" that was ostensibly oppressing the Third World, and charged Mohammad Reza a monthly rent of US$21,000, making him pay for all his food and the wages of the 200 National Guardsmen assigned as his bodyguards.^[290] The interim government in Iran still demanded his and his wife's immediate extradition to Tehran. A short time after Mohammad Reza's arrival in Panama, an Iranian ambassador was dispatched to the Central American nation carrying a 450-page long extradition request. That official appeal alarmed both the Shah and his advisors. Whether the Panamanian government would have complied is a matter of speculation amongst historians.^[291]

In January 1980, the Shah gave his last television interview to British journalist David Frost on Contadora Island,^[292] re-broadcast by ABC in the US on 17 January.^[293] The Shah talks about his wealth, his illness, the SAVAK, the torture during his reign, his own political mistakes, Khomeini and his threat of extradition to Iran.^[294]

The only consolation for Mohammad Reza during his time in Panama were letters from Princess Soraya saying that she still loved him and wanted to see him one last time before he died.^[295] Mohammad Reza, in the letters he sent to Paris, declared he wanted to see Soraya one last time as well but said that the Empress Farah could not be present, which presented some complications as Farah was continually by his deathbed.^[296]

CIA ASSASSINATION CONSPIRACY AND MOROCCO

While the Shah was in Panama, one of Ruhollah Khomeini's close advisors, Sadegh Ghotbzadeh, had a meeting with Hamilton Jordan, Jimmy Carter's Chief of Staff.^[297] Ghotbzadeh requested that the CIA kill the Shah while he was in Panama. Fearing for his life, the Shah left Panama, delaying further surgery. He fled to Rabat, Morocco, where he stayed with King Hassan II, and then to Cairo, Egypt, with his condition worsening.^[298][299]

ASYLUM IN EGYPT AND BOTCHED OPERATION

After that event, the Shah again sought the support of Egyptian president Anwar El-Sadat, who renewed his offer of permanent asylum in Egypt to the ailing monarch. He returned to Egypt in March 1980, where he received urgent medical treatment. Michael DeBakey, an American heart surgeon, was called to perform a splenectomy. Although DeBakey was world-renowned in his field, his experience performing this surgery was limited. On 28 March 1980, Mohammad Reza's French and American doctors finally performed an operation meant to have been performed in the fall of 1979.^[300] During the operation, the tail of the pancreas was injured. This led to infection.^{[301][302][303]} Dr. Kean recalled:^[304]

The operation went beautifully. That night, however, was terrible. The medical team–U.S., Egyptian, French–was in the pathology lab. The focus was on the Shah's cancerous spleen, grotesquely swollen to 20 times normal. It was one-foot long, literally the size of a football. But I was drawn to the liver tissues that had also been removed. The liver was speckled with white. Malignancy. The cancer had hit the liver. The Shah would soon die ... The tragedy is that a man who should have had the best and easiest medical care had, in many respects, the worst.

By that point, it was arranged by Sadat that Soraya would quietly visit Mohammad Reza on his deathbed in Egypt without Farah present, but Milani noted the two were "star-crossed lovers." Soraya was unable to come to Egypt in time from her home in Paris.^[296]

DEATH AND FUNERAL

The infection caused by the splenectomy operation led to the final decline of Mohammad Reza.^[301][302] In his hospital bed, the Shah was asked to describe his feelings for Iran and its people and to define the country. The Shah, a fervent nationalist, responded "Iran is Iran." After pausing for minutes, he said "Its land, people, and history," and "Every Iranian has to love it." He continued on to repeat "Iran is Iran" over and over.^[305] Shortly after, the Shah slipped into a coma and died at 9:15 a.m. on 27 July 1980 at age 60. He kept a bag of Iranian soil under his death bed.^[299]

EGYPTIAN STATE FUNERAL

Egyptian President Sadat gave the Shah a state funeral.^[306] In addition to members of the Pahlavi family, Anwar Sadat, Richard Nixon and Constantine II of Greece attended the funeral ceremony in Cairo.^[307]

Mohammad Reza Shah is buried in the Al Rifa'i Mosque in Cairo, a mosque of great symbolic importance. Also buried there is Farouk of Egypt, Mohammad Reza Shah's former brother-in-law. The tombs lie to the left of the entrance. Years earlier, his father and predecessor, Reza Shah, had also initially been buried at the Al Rifa'i Mosque.

CRITICISM OF REIGN AND CAUSES OF HIS OVERTHROW

Main article: Background and causes of the Iranian Revolution

See also: Jimmy Carter's engagement with Ruhollah Khomeini

AMERICAN INACTION

The US State Department drew criticism for doing little to communicate with Tehran or discourage protest and opposition to the Shah. The intelligence community within the US has also been subject to criticism particularly for reporting to President Jimmy Carter, "Iran is not in a revolutionary or even a 'pre-revolutionary' situation." Carter was also blamed for his lack of support for the Shah while failing to deter opposition. Within Iran, the revolution is widely believed to have been a British plot to overthrow the Shah. This theory would come to be known as the 1979 Iranian Revolution conspiracy theory. The notion was supported by the Shah of Iran, who believed his increasing control over oil markets and his 1973 nationalization of Iranian oil prompted international oil companies to unseat him.^[308] The Carter administration in the US also refused to sell non-lethal tear gas and rubber bullets to Iran.^[309][310]

An Amnesty International assessment on Iran for 1974–1975 stated: "The total number of political prisoners has been reported at times throughout the year to be anything from 25,000 to 100,000".^[311][312]

At the Federation of American Scientists, John Pike wrote in 2000:^[313]

In 1978 the deepening opposition to the Shah erupted in widespread demonstrations and rioting. Recognising that even this level of violence had failed to crush the rebellion, the Shah abdicated the Peacock Throne and fled Iran on 16 January 1979. Despite decades of pervasive surveillance by SAVAK, working closely with CIA, the extent of public opposition to the Shah, and his sudden departure, came as a considerable surprise to the US intelligence community and national leadership. As late as 28 September 1978 the US Defense Intelligence Agency reported that the Shah "is expected to remain actively in power over the next ten years."

Explanations for the overthrow of Mohammad Reza include his status as a dictator put in place by a non-Muslim Western power, the United States,^{[314][full citation needed][315][full citation needed]} whose foreign culture was seen as influencing that of Iran. Additional contributing factors included reports of oppression, brutality,^{[316][full citation needed][317]} corruption, and extravagance.^{[316][318][full citation needed]} Basic functional failures of the regime have also been blamed—economic bottlenecks, shortages and inflation; the regime's over-ambitious economic programme;^[319] the failure of its security forces to deal with protests and demonstrations;^[320] and the overly centralised royal power structure.^[321] International policies pursued by the Shah in order to increase national income by remarkable increases in the price of oil through his leading role in the Organization of the Oil Producing Countries (OPEC) have been stressed as a major cause for a shift of Western interests and priorities, and for a reduction of their support for him reflected in a critical position of Western politicians and media, especially of the administration of US President Jimmy Carter regarding the question of human rights in Iran, and in strengthened economic ties between the United States of America and Saudi Arabia in the 1970s.^[322]

CHANGE OF CALENDAR

In October 1971, Mohammad Reza celebrated the twenty-five-hundredth anniversary of the Iranian monarchy; The New York Times reported that $100 million was spent on the celebration.^[323] Next to the ancient ruins of Persepolis, the Shah gave orders to build a tent city covering 160 acres (0.65 km²), studded with three huge royal tents and 59 lesser ones arranged in a star-shaped design. French chefs from Maxim's of Paris prepared breast of peacock for royalty and dignitaries from around the world, the buildings were decorated by Maison Jansen (the same firm that helped Jacqueline Kennedy redecorate the White House), the guests ate off Limoges porcelain and drank from Baccarat crystal glasses. This became a major scandal, as the contrast between the dazzling elegance of the celebration and the misery of the nearby villages was so dramatic that no one could ignore it. Months before the festivities, university students went on strike in protest. Indeed, the cost was so sufficiently impressive that the Shah forbade his associates to discuss the actual figures. However, he and his supporters argued that the celebrations opened new investments in Iran, improved relationships with the other leaders and nations of the world and provided greater recognition of Iran.^[324][325]

Other actions thought to have contributed to his downfall include antagonising formerly apolitical Iranians—especially merchants of the bazaars—with the creation in 1975 of a single-party political monopoly (the Rastakhiz Party), with compulsory membership and dues, and general aggressive interference in the political, economic, and religious concerns of people's lives;^[326] and the 1976 change from an Islamic calendar to an Imperial calendar, marking the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus as the first day, instead of the migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. This supposed date was designed so that the year 2500 would fall on 1941, the year when his own reign started. Overnight, the year changed from 1355 to 2535.^[327] During the extravagant festivities to celebrate the 2500th anniversary, the Shah was quoted as saying at Cyrus's tomb: "Rest in peace, Cyrus, for we are awake".^[328]

It has been argued that the White Revolution was "shoddily planned and haphazardly carried out", upsetting the wealthy while not going far enough to provide for the poor or offer greater political freedom.^[329] In 1974, Mohammad Reza learned from his French doctors that he was suffering from the cancer that was to kill him six years later.^[194] Though this was such a carefully guarded secret that not even the Americans were aware of it (as late as 1977, the CIA submitted a report to President Carter describing the Shah as being in "robust health"), the knowledge of his impending death left Mohammad Reza depressed and passive in his last years, a man no longer capable of acting.^[194]

UNEMPLOYMENT

Some achievements of the Shah—such as broadened education—had unintended consequences. While school attendance rose (by 1966, the school attendance of urban seven- to 14-year-olds was estimated at 75.8 percent), Iran's labour market was slow to absorb the high number of educated youth. In 1966, high school graduates had "a higher rate of unemployment than did the illiterate", and the educated unemployed often supported the revolution.^[330]

LEGACY

Main article: White RevolutionPoliticians

• Naser al-Din
• Kashani
• Modarres
• Nouri
• Pahlavi II
• Safavi
• Tabataba'i

---

Supreme Leaders

• Khomeini
• Khamenei

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Principlists

• Ahmadinejad
• Asgaroladi
• Ghalibaf
• Ghazizadeh
• Jalili
• Jannati
• Larijani (Ali)
• Larijani (Sadiq)
• Mojtahedzadeh
• Pourmohammadi
• Raisi
• Rezaee
• Shamkhani
• Soleimani
• Zakani

---

Monarchists (pre-1979)

• Hoveyda (Amir-Abbas)
• Hoveyda (Fereydoon)
• Mansur
• Pahlavi I
• Pahlavi II

In 1969, Mohammad Reza sent one of 73 Apollo 11 Goodwill Messages to NASA for the historic first lunar landing.^[331] The message still rests on the lunar surface today. He stated in part, "we pray the Almighty God to guide mankind towards ever increasing success in the establishment of culture, knowledge and human civilisation". The Apollo 11 crew visited Mohammad Reza during a world tour.^[331]

Shortly after his overthrow, Mohammad Reza wrote an autobiographical memoir Réponse à l'histoire (Answer to History). It was translated from the original French into English, Persian (as Pasokh be Tarikh), and other languages. However, he had already died by the time of its publication. The book is Mohammad Reza's personal account of his reign and accomplishments, as well as his perspective on issues related to the Iranian Revolution and Western foreign policy toward Iran. He places some of the blame for the wrongdoings of SAVAK, and the failures of various democratic and social reforms (particularly through the White Revolution), upon Amir Abbas Hoveyda and his administration.^[332][333]

After his overthrow, his son Reza Pahlavi declared himself the new Shah of Iran in exile.^[334] Recently, Mohammad Reza's reputation has experienced something of a revival in Iran, with some people looking back on his era as a time when Iran was more prosperous^[335][332] and the government less oppressive.^[336] Journalist Afshin Molavi reported that some members of the uneducated poor—traditionally core supporters of the revolution that overthrew the monarchy—were making remarks such as, "God bless the Shah's soul, the economy was better then", and found that "books about the former Shah (even censored ones) sell briskly", while "books of the Rightly Guided Path sit idle".^[337] On 28 October 2016, thousands of people in Iran celebrating Cyrus Day at the Tomb of Cyrus, chanted slogans in support of him, and against the current Islamic regime of Iran and Arabs, and many were subsequently arrested.^[333] Reza Pahlavi became involved with the 2025–2026 Iranian protests promoting the change of the Islamic dictatorship in Iran to representative democracy.^[334]

The interior of Mohammad Reza's tomb in Cairo's Al Rifa'i Mosque

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Mohammad Reza during his Hajj pilgrimage in the 1970s

From his mother, Mohammad Reza inherited an almost messianic belief in his own greatness and that God was working in his favour, which explained the often passive and fatalistic attitudes that he displayed as an adult.^[338] In 1973, Mohammad Reza told the Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci:^[339]

A king who does not need to account to anyone for what he says and does is unavoidably doomed to loneliness. However, I am not entirely alone, because a force others can't perceive accompanies me. My mystical force. Moreover, I receive messages. I have lived with God besides me since I was 5 years old. Since, that is, God sent me those visions.

Mohammad Reza often spoke in public and in private from childhood onward of his belief that God had chosen him for a "divine mission" to transform Iran, as he believed that dreams he had as a child of the Twelve Imams of Shia Islam were all messages from God.^[340] In his 1961 book Mission for My Country, Mohammad Reza wrote:^[341]

From the time I was six or seven, I have felt that perhaps there is a supreme being, who is guiding me. I don't know. Sometimes the thought disturbs me because then, I ask myself, what is my own personality, and am I possessed of free will? Still, I often reflect, if I am driven-or perhaps I should say supported-by another force, there must be a reason.

In his biography of the Shah, Marvin Zonis argued that Mohammad Reza really believed in these claims of divine support. Shia Islam has no tradition of describing Shahs being favoured with messages from Allah; very few Shahs had ever claimed that their dreams were divine messages, and most people in the West laughed at Mohammad Reza's claim that his dreams were messages from God.^[342] Reza Shah, Mohammad Reza's father, who was less religious, dismissed these visions as nonsense, and told his son to have more common sense.^[343]

Fereydoon Hoveyda, a veteran diplomat who served as the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations (1971–1979), and the brother of Amir-Abbas Hoveyda, the Prime Minister under the Shah (1965–1977) executed after the Islamic revolution, and himself a critic of the régime who died in exile, says that "when it comes to religion and spirituality, many passages of the monarch's and Khomeini's publications are interchangeable", which he perceives as the continuity of the Iranian civilization, where the religion changes but the spirit remains.^[344]

WEALTH

Mohammad Reza inherited the wealth built by his father Reza Shah, who preceded him as king of Iran and became known as the richest person in Iran during his reign, with his wealth estimated to be higher than 600 million rials^[345] and including vast amounts of land and numerous large estates especially in the province of Mazandaran^[346] obtained usually at a fraction of their real price.^[347] Reza Shah, facing criticism for his wealth, decided to pass on all of his land and wealth to his eldest son Mohammad Reza in exchange for a sugar cube, known in Iran as habbe kardan.^[346] However, shortly after obtaining the wealth Mohammad Reza was ordered by his father and then king to transfer a million toman ($500,000) to each of his siblings.^[348] By 1958, it was estimated that the companies possessed by Mohammad Reza had a value of $157 million (in 1958 USD) with an estimated additional $100 million saved outside Iran.^[349] Rumours of his and his family's corruption began to surface which greatly damaged his reputation. This formed one of the reasons for the creation of the Pahlavi Foundation and the distribution of additional land to the people of some 2,000 villages inherited by his father, often at very low and discounted prices.^[350] In 1958, using funds from inherited crown estates, Mohammad Reza established the Pahlavi Foundation, which functioned as a tax-exempt charity and held all his assets, including 830 villages spanning a total area of 2.5 million hectares (6.2 million acres).^[351] According to Business Insider, Mohammad Reza had set up the organisation "to pursue Iran's charitable interests in the U.S."^[352] At its height, the organisation was estimated to be worth $3 billion; however, on numerous occasions, the Pahlavi Foundation was accused of corruption.^[353][354] Despite these charges, in his book Answer to History Pahlavi affirms that he "never made the slightest profit" out of the Foundation.^[355]

In a 1974 interview which was shown in a documentary titled Crisis in Iran, Mohammad Reza told Mike Wallace that the rumours of corruption were "the most unjust thing that I have heard," calling them a "cheap accusation" whilst arguing the allegations were not as serious as those regarding other governments, including that of the United States.^[356] In November 1978, after Pahlavi dismissed Prime Minister Jafar Sharif-Emami and appointed a military government, he pledged in a televised address "not to repeat the past mistakes and illegalities, the cruelty and corruption."^[357] Despite this, the royal family's wealth can be seen as one of the factors behind the Iranian revolution. This was due to the oil crises of the 1970s which increased inflation resulting in economic austerity measures which made lower class workers more inclined to protest.^[358]

Mohammad Reza's wealth remained considerable during his time in exile. While staying in the Bahamas he offered to purchase the island that he was staying on for $425 million (in 1979 USD); however, his offer was rejected by the Bahamas which claimed that the island was worth far more. On 17 October 1979, again in exile and perhaps knowing the gravity of his illness, he split up his wealth amongst his family members, giving 20% to Farah, 20% to his eldest son Reza, 15% to Farahnaz, 15% to Leila, 20% to his younger son, in addition to giving 8% to Shahnaz and 2% to his granddaughter Mahnaz Zahedi.^[359]

On 14 January 1979, an article titled "Little pain expected in exile for Shah" by The Spokesman Review newspaper found that the Pahlavi dynasty had amassed one of the largest private fortunes in the world; estimated then at well over $1 billion. It also stated that a document submitted to the ministry of justice, in protest of the royal family's activity in many sectors of the nation's economy, detailed the Pahlavis dominating role in the economy of Iran. The list showed that the Pahlavi dynasty had interests in, amongst other things, 17 banks and insurance companies, including a 90 percent ownership in the nation's third-largest insurance company, 25 metal enterprises, 8 mining companies, 10 building-materials companies, including 25 per cent of the largest cement company, 45 construction companies, 43 food companies, and 26 enterprises in trade or commerce, including a of ownership in almost every major hotel in Iran; the Pahlavis also had major interests in real estate.^[360] Mohammad Reza was also known for his interest in cars and had a personal collection of 140 classic and sports cars including a Mercedes-Benz 500K Autobahn cruiser, one of only six ever made.^[361] The first Maserati 5000 GT was named the Shah of Persia, and was built for Mohammad Reza, who had been impressed by the Maserati 3500 and requested Giulio Alfieri, Maserati's chief engineer, to use a modified 5-litre engine from the Maserati 450S on the 3500GT's chassis.^[362] There was also a 2019 car named in his honour.

Styles of Mohammad Reza Shah of Iran
Reference style	His Imperial Majesty
Spoken style	Your Imperial Majesty
Alternative style	Aryamehr

Mohammad Reza was Sovereign of many orders in Iran and received honours and decorations from around the world. Mohammad Reza used the style His Majesty until his imperial coronation in 1967, ascending to the title of Shahanshah, when he adopted the style His Imperial Majesty. Mohammad Reza also held many supplementary titles such as Bozorg Artestaran, a military rank superseding his prior position as captain. On 15 September 1965, Mohammad Reza was granted the title of Aryamehr ('The Light of the Aryans') by an extraordinary session of the joint Houses of Parliament.^[363]

COATS OF ARMS

See also: Imperial Standards of Iran

From 24 April 1926, until his accession, Mohammad Reza's arms notably consisted of two Shahbaz birds in the centre, a common symbol during the Achaemenid period, with the Pahlavi Crown placed above them. Upon his accession, he adopted his father's coat of arms which included a shield composed of the Lion and the Sun symbol in first quarter, the Faravahar in the second quarter, the two-pointed sword of Ali (Zulfiqar) in third quarter and the Simurgh in the fourth quarter. Overall, in the centre is a circle depicting Mount Damavand with a rising sun, the symbol of the Pahlavi dynasty. The shield is crowned by the Pahlavi crown and surrounded by the chain of the Order of Pahlavi. Two lions rampant regardant, holding scimitars supports the coat of arms on either side. Under the whole device is the motto: "Mara dad farmud va Khod Davar Ast" ('Justice He bids me do, as He will judge me' or, alternatively, 'He gave me power to command, and He is the judge').

Coat of arms of Crown Prince Mohammad Reza (1926–1941	Coat of arms of Mohammad Reza Shah (1941–1980)

IMPERIAL STANDARDS

Main article: Imperial Standards of Iran

The Pahlavi imperial family employed rich heraldry to symbolise their reign and ancient Persian heritage. An image of the imperial crown was included in every official state document and symbol, from the badges of the armed forces to paper money and coinage. The image of the crown was the centerpiece of the imperial standard of the Shah.

The personal standards consisted of a field of pale blue, the traditional colour of the Iranian imperial family, at the centre of which was placed the heraldic motif of the individual. The Imperial Iranian national flag was placed in the top left quadrant of each standard. The appropriate imperial standard was flown beside the national flag when the individual was present. In 1971, new designs were adopted.^[364] Imperial standard of Crown Prince Mohammad Reza (1926–1941)

Imperial standard of Mohammad Reza Shah (1941–1971)

Imperial standard of Mohammad Reza Shah (1971–1980)

Books

Mohammad Reza published several books in the course of his kingship and two later works after his downfall. Amongst others, these include:

· Mission for My Country (1960)

· The White Revolution (1967)

· Toward the Great Civilisation (Persian version: Imperial 2536 = 1977 CE; English version: 1994)

· Answer to History (1980)

· The Shah's Story (1980)

See also

· Iran portal

· Biography portal

· Politics portal

· 1953 Iran coup

· 1979 Iranian Revolution, also known as Islamic Revolution and 1979 Revolution

· 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire, a luxurious and extravagant celebration at Persepolis in 1971

· Answer to History, 1980 memoir by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

· Conspiracy theories about the Iranian Revolution

· Farah Pahlavi, wife of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

· Guadeloupe Conference

· History of Iran

· Human rights in the Imperial State of Iran

· Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II

· Monarchism in Iran

· National Car Museum of Iran, showcases the cars of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

· Nuclear program of Iran

· Iran under the Pahlavi dynasty (1925–1979)

· "The Shah Is Gone", iconic headline of the Iranian newspaper Ettela'at when the Shah left Iran

· Timeline of the Iranian revolution

· Trans-Iranian Railway

White Revolution

ATTACHMENT EIGHTEEN – FROM THE DAILY STAR (PAKISTAN)

SHADOW OF THE SHAH

Iran’s exiled Pahlavi dynasty again enters political debate

By Touseful Islam March 7

PAHLAVI DYNASTY RETURN DEBATE IN IRAN POLITICS

As Iran navigates war, sanctions and domestic unrest, an old political spectre has resurfaced -- the Pahlavi dynasty.

Across parts of the Iranian diaspora and in pockets of protest discourse, the name Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last shah, has re-emerged as a possible stopgap in political transition. The discussion also reflects a deep frustration with the Islamic Republic and yet, it raises a complicated question. Can a monarchy that collapsed nearly half a century ago still shape Iran’s political imagination?

The dynasty began with Reza Shah Pahlavi, a military officer who rose through the Persian Cossack Brigade before staging a coup in 1921.

By 1925 Iran’s parliament had crowned him shah, establishing the Pahlavi monarchy.

Reza Shah sought to transform a fragmented state into a modern nation. His government expanded the army, built national infrastructure such as the Trans-Iranian Railway and introduced secular legal reforms.

In 1936 he imposed one of his most controversial policies -- banning the Islamic veil in public life in an effort to westernise Iranian society. The move angered religious communities and deepened tensions between modernising elites and conservative clerics.

The dynasty’s first upheaval came during World War II when British and Soviet forces invaded Iran in 1941 and forced Reza Shah to abdicate. His son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi became shah at just twenty-two.

The defining moment of his reign arrived in 1953.

Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq had nationalised Iran’s oil industry, previously controlled by the British. In response, the United States and Britain orchestrated a covert operation -- Operation Ajax -- to remove Mosaddeq and restore the shah’s authority. The coup involved propaganda campaigns, bribery of political figures and organised street protests. Mosaddeq was arrested and the shah returned to power.

This episode fostered lasting resentment towards Western influence in Iran.

During the 1960s the shah launched the White Revolution, a sweeping reform programme including land redistribution, women’s suffrage and mass literacy campaigns.

The reforms accelerated industrialisation and expanded education. Tehran’s cultural scene flourished, and by the 1970s, Western observers often described the capital as the “Paris of the Middle East”.

Yet political freedom remained limited.

Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi, who is the oldest son of the last Shah of Iran, has built up a sizable following in Iran’s diaspora.

The monarchy relied on the intelligence service SAVAK, accused of surveillance, repression and torture of dissidents. Combined with economic inequality and anger among religious leaders, the shah’s authoritarian rule steadily eroded public support.

Mass protests erupted across Iran in 1978.

Security crackdowns only intensified the unrest. On January 16 1979 the Shah fled Iran and months later a national referendum abolished the monarchy and established the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The shah died in exile in Egypt in 1980, bringing the Pahlavi era to a close. His heir, Reza Pahlavi, has lived in the United States since the revolution. Over the years he has repositioned himself not as a monarch-in-waiting but as an advocate for democratic transition and a referendum on Iran’s future political system.

Still, his influence inside Iran remains difficult to measure due to political restrictions and the absence of reliable polling.

Recent protests in Iran have revived the Pahlavi name. Some demonstrators have invoked the former monarchy while criticising the Islamic Republic, though analysts caution that such slogans often reflect anger at the present system rather than organised royalist support.

The current conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States has intensified that debate.

Reza Pahlavi has argued that sustained pressure on the Islamic Republic could eventually open the door to political transition, positioning himself as a possible unifying figure for a post-regime Iran. But the return of the Pahlavis remains uncertain.

Inside Iran there is no organised royalist movement, and opposition groups remain fragmented. Many activists favour a secular republic rather than a restored monarchy. Analysts cited by Reuters and The Guardian suggest the Pahlavi name functions more as a symbol within Iran’s broader political struggle than as a realistic pathway back to the throne.

Nearly five decades after the revolution, the dynasty continues to evoke competing, and perhaps defining, memories—modernisation for some, authoritarianism for others.

ATTACHMENT NINETEEN – FROM TIMES NOW (INDIA)

PRINCESS FAWZIA, THE EGYPTIAN PRINCESS WHO BECAME EMPRESS OF IRAN BUT NEVER FELT AT HOME

PRINCESS FAWZIA, THE EGYPTIAN PRINCESS WHO BECAME EMPRESS OF IRAN BUT NEVER FELT AT HOME

Celebrated British fashion photographer Cecil Beaton called her the "Asian Venus" as he photographed her for the cover of Life magazine. She was Princess Fawzia of Egypt, who according to Beaton was a woman blessed with a "perfect heart-shaped face and strangely pale but piercing blue eyes". Her life should have been a fairytale, with her beauty and her subsequent marriage to the Crown Prince Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran. But her life in Tehran was far from easy. Her marriage would eventually end, and even her family's fortunes would vanish after it.

Born on 5 November 1921, she grew up in Ras el-Tin Palace in Alexandria, Egypt. Princess Fawzia was the eldest daughter of Sultan Fuad I of Egypt and Sudan, and his second wife, Nazli Sabri. The princess inherited the best genes from her father’s Egyptian lineage and her mother’s Egyptian, Turkish, French, and Greek ancestry. Educated in Switzerland, she was fluent in English, Arabic and French.

Her marriage to the Crown Prince was politically motivated. The marriage proposal was initially not approved by Fawzia's brother, but he eventually gave in under duress. The matrimonial alliance would strengthen Egypt's position in the region. At the time of their wedding, Fawzia was a 17-year-old, while the crown prince was a 20-year-old.

"In 1939, when Princess Fawzia of Egypt married the crown prince of Iran, Mohammed Reza, the teenagers united two great Muslim lands. Each side had political and personal motives for welcoming the union: for the Egyptian King Farouk, the princess’s brother, the marriage asserted a constitutional monarch’s power in a region lorded over by the British. For the shah of Iran, formerly an ordinary soldier, the century-old Egyptian royal family conferred aristocratic legitimacy on his own. At the wedding in Cairo, guests received bonbon boxes made of gold and precious stones; flower-filled floats paraded down the wide avenues; fireworks were set off over the Nile," wrote Suzy Hansen for The New York Times.

The marriage was also unconventional because it was between a prince who was a Shia Muslim and a princess who was a Sunni Muslim. Their wedding was a lavish display of wealth and reportedly a 20-course meal was served. Even the celebrations in Tehran included a stadium visit and an acrobatic display.

But the Egyptian royals were richer than the family of the Shah of Iran, and Fawzia, who grew up surrounded by wealth, found it difficult to adjust. She was used to eating French cuisine and was not fond of the food in Iran. The Marble Palace that became her residence was not up to her standards, and she called it worse than her palace in Cairo. The marriage would not be easy, since they also spoke different languages. Princess Fawzia spoke Arabic, while the Crown Prince's language was Persian.

The crown prince ascended the throne in 1941 and became the Shah of Iran. His wife became the Empress, and they had a daughter called Shahnaz. But the marriage was a miserable union. The crown prince was unfaithful and would be seen driving around Tehran in his expensive cars with his girlfriends. Fawzia's relationship with her in-laws was strained, and she reportedly faced abuse from them. One of her sisters-in-law even broke a vase over her head. "After the birth of her daughter, Princess Shahnaz Pahlavi, she retreated from royal life, refusing to speak in any language but French, and became increasingly hostile to Iran and the Iranian way of life. She started seeing an American psychiatrist, who diagnosed her with depression," wrote Rebecca Cope for Tatler.

Eventually the news of her sad state reached Egypt, and members of the Egyptian court were sent to check on her. According to Suzy Hansen for The New York Times, "he discovered Fawzia to be neglected and gravely ill: Her shoulder blades, he reported, 'jutted out like the fins of some undernourished fish'." King Farouk demanded that the two divorce. Princess Shahnaz stayed in Iran.

Her daughter stayed back in Iran. She returned to Egypt and married a royalist officer named Ismail Chirine. Eventually, after the military coup of 1952 that saw members of Egypt's royal family flee to Europe, Fawzia remained in Alexandria, leading a quiet life. Princess Fawzia of Egypt, who was once the Empress of Iran, died in Alexandria on 2 July 2013. She was buried in Cairo.

ATTACHMENT TWENTY – FROM GHANA NEWS AGENCY

SON OF IRAN’S LAST SHAH REJECTS CANDIDATES FOR NEW SUPREME LEADER

Washington, March 5, (dpa/GNA) – Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last shah and a political activist seeking a leading role in future Iranian politics, on Thursday characterized attempts to appoint a successor to Ali Khamenei as doomed to failure.

Whoever is named would lack legitimacy and be “complicit in the bloodstained record of this regime,” he posted on X.

Pahlavi specifically mentioned Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late supreme leader who was killed on Saturday, and Hassan Khomeini, grandson of Ruhollah Khomeini, the first supreme leader who toppled the shah in 1979.

Pahlavi, 65, has put himself forward as a transitional leader, who would hold office while a referendum is held, followed by elections under international supervision. The transitional government would then be dissolved.

Pahlavi, named by the last shah as his crown prince, has lived in exile in the United States for decades.

During recent mass protests in Iran, he indicated an interest in taking a role in uniting the fragmented opposition. He has a following on social media running into millions.

GNA

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. 

ATTACHMENT TWENTY ONE – FROM AI OVERVIEW

WHAT IS HASSAN KHOMEINI KNOWN FOR?

Hassan Khomeini is known as the prominent, relatively moderate grandson of Iran's revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, serving as custodian of his grandfather's mausoleum (THE CRYPT-KEEPER – DJI) and often viewed as a potential, albeit sometimes blocked, successor to the Supreme Leader due to his lineage and reformist leanings within the clerical establishment. 

Key Aspects of His Prominence:

· Family Legacy: 

He is the most visible of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's 15 grandchildren, inheriting symbolic importance from the founder of the Islamic Republic. 

· Custodian of the Mausoleum: 

Since 1995, he has managed his grandfather's shrine in Tehran, a major pilgrimage site and symbol of the revolution. 

· Moderate Stance: 

He's seen as more moderate and reformist compared to hardliners, maintaining ties with figures like former President Mohammad Khatami. 

· Political Aspirations: 

He's been a potential candidate for higher office, including Supreme Leader, though his political rise has faced obstacles, such as his nomination for the Assembly of Experts being rejected in 2016. 

· Balancing Act: 

While generally supporting the establishment and praising current leadership, he also advocates for principles like military neutrality in politics, reflecting his grandfather's legacy. 

ATTACHMENT TWENTY ONE – FROM NEW LINES INSTITUTE

REAL-TIME ANALYSIS: ALI KHOMEINI, GRANDSON OF REGIME FOUNDER, LIKELY NEXT SUPREME LEADER

by Nozar Vaziri 03/01/2026 

Information for this Real-Time Analysis comes from a researcher familiar with the Islamic Republic’s internal politics. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not an official policy or position of New Lines Institute.

According to Iranian President Masood Pezeshkian, the next supreme leader after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be announced in “one to two days.”

Per Shia Imamate doctrine, which has continued in Shia clerical traditions, succession must be passed from fathers to their oldest or most able sons and through them to their male progeny. The institution of kingship in Iran is a 2,500-year-long tradition, which follows the same pattern. Both notions – kingship and Imamate – are highly resonant in Iranian culture.

The founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, cleverly combined these two powerful cultural strands in his theory of Velayat Faghih, or rule by a jurist who is invested with unlimited power.

While Iran’s ruling establishment is free to choose any cleric they wish to become the next supreme leader, it is highly unlikely they would not leverage this dual nature of Velayat Faghih for the successor to Khamenei.

Khamenei had four sons: Massood, Mostafa, Meisam, and Mojtaba. By far the most able and capable son among these is Mojtaba.

Khomeini had two sons, Mostafa and Ahmad. Both are long dead, but they had several sons of their own. Mostafa had one prominent son, Hossein, who became a dissident; Ahmad’s sons, Yasser, Hassan, and Ali, operated within the establishment. Of these, Yasser is too young and too inexperienced. Hassan is the best known of Ahmad’s sons, but he is associated with the Reformist camp, and most regime loyalists do not trust him for that reason, effectively eliminating him from consideration.

That leaves Ayatollah Ali Khomenei, who is an Islamist as well as a highly astute and effective politician, as the best contender for the mantle of the supreme leader within the Khomeini clan.

Vigorous Challenge

It is a safe assumption that there will be fierce competition behind the scenes between the two main contenders, Mojtaba Khamenei and Ali Khomeini. The former is highly popular among rank-and-file Islamists because he had been so close to his father and assumed a leadership role while his father was alive.

However, he is unlikely to prevail against Ali Khomeini for several reasons. Ayatollah Khamenei had become very unpopular among the public toward the end of his reign, with grievances including a deteriorating economy, a repressive domestic policy, and foreign policy goals that saw many losses and costs with few or no benefits. In this way, his son is suffering by association with his father and his policies.

Whoever becomes supreme leader must convey the beginning of a new era, not the continuation of past failed policies. Otherwise he will be unpopular from the very start. The Islamic Republic cannot survive without structural reforms and a public that gives these reforms a chance. Mojtaba cannot deliver on the latter imperative.

The death of Mojtaba’s wife and several other relatives in the operation that killed his father has raised sympathy, but this is only confined to the Islamist camp who constitute less than 10% of the population.

ATTACHMENT TWENTY TWO – FROM NEW LINES INST.

REAL-TIME ANALYSIS: SUPREME LEADER CHOICE SHOWS REGIME LOSING COHERENCE 

03/09/2026 

by Kamran Bokhari

Mojtaba Khamenei’s installation as supreme leader underscores the extent to which the Iranian regime has been weakened by the U.S.-Israeli air campaign. His succession to his father’s role reflects the acute disarray among the Islamic Republic’s principal power centers during the ongoing war. The conflict has upended what had long been carefully managed plans for a more orderly transition from former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. With a weak stature both as a religious figure and a politician, Mojtaba is unlikely to stabilize a regime already buckling under the sustained pressure of the airstrikes.

Iran’s regime installed 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei as the Islamic Republic’s new supreme leader. The 88-member Assembly of Experts announced the decision on March 8 after an emergency deliberation to select the country’s third supreme leader since the 1979 revolution. The younger Khamenei has long been an influential but largely behind-the-scenes figure with strong ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His elevation marks the first time power in the Islamic Republic has effectively passed from father to son, a controversial step as Iran confronts its most severe military and political crisis since its inception.

All things being equal, Mojtaba would have not succeeded his father for several reasons. First, the regime’s legitimacy has long been based on the fact that it toppled a monarchy and thus it could not be seen as engaging in dynastic rule, especially as public opposition has grown considerably in recent decades. Second, the supreme leader is supposed to have at least some stature in terms of religious credentials. Third, there are many factions that oppose the move based on the son’s ability to lead. Finally, there were many others who were better positioned, such as Ayatollah Ali Khomeini, a grandson of the founder of the republic. @GET!

Beyond the major war, the death of the elder Khamenei created an unprecedented situation while the country is faced with massive internal agitation. According to the constitution, in the event of the death or incapacitation of a supreme leader, he would be replaced by an interim 3-man leadership council consisting of the president, chief justice, and a cleric from the Guardian Council while the Assembly of Experts goes through the process of electing the successor. In practice this has never happened before, even when the Ruhollah Khomeini died in 1989, Ali Khamenei was appointed the very next day.

The supreme leader’s death after a 37-year rule created an extraordinary leadership vacuum at the very outset of the most severe war the Islamic Republic has faced in its nearly half-century history. The convergence of leadership decapitation and large-scale conflict placed the regime in an unprecedented situation, threatening to paralyze decision-making at the moment of greatest strategic peril. Under such circumstances, the regime’s key stakeholders had strong incentives to fill the vacuum as rapidly as possible to project continuity and prevent the perception that the system was unraveling amid an existential crisis. An interim leadership council composed of figures from rival political and institutional camps would have risked internal paralysis, making a single – however controversial – successor a more viable option during wartime.

Evidence has emerged that Mojtaba faced significant opposition from several elite quarters within the regime, but he also enjoyed backing from influential segments of both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the political clergy. In other words, while no consensus existed around his candidacy, the competing factions broadly agreed that the leadership vacuum had to be filled quickly to preserve regime cohesion. Mojtaba’s principal advantage was that he had long functioned as his father’s trusted aide and gatekeeper, giving him familiarity with the levers of power at a moment when continuity was paramount.

Mojtaba had long managed his father’s secretariat, particularly in recent decades, effectively serving as a chief of staff. This position allowed him to cultivate extensive networks and influence across the regime’s diverse power centers and competing factions. Supporters of his ascension likely emphasized the need for continuity, arguing that an alternative candidate, including figures like Ali Khomeini, would have faced the daunting task of building authority from scratch. In a period of acute crisis, Mojtaba’s entrenched access to institutional levers made him the most expedient choice to preserve the regime’s cohesion.

That Mojtaba succeeded his father underscores the extreme pressure on the Iranian regime. Chaos within the Islamic Republic’s institutions has intensified, with internal disagreements reaching unprecedented levels. In this context, Mojtaba was installed as a placeholder, reflecting the imperative that the supreme leader’s office cannot remain vacant, especially during war. Yet by elevating Mojtaba, the regime has effectively embraced a dynastic principle it once repudiated, bolstering the arguments of opposition figures like Reza Pahlavi, son of the former shah, and leaving open serious questions about whether Mojtaba can maintain authority as the conflict continues.

Mojtaba is unlikely to stabilize the Iranian regime because his authority rests more on wartime expediency and factional deals than on broad institutional or popular legitimacy. His limited formal religious credentials and low public profile, combined with deepening fractures within Iran’s power structure, constrain his ability to build durable consensus across competing political, clerical, and security networks. Moreover, his elevation amid an existential war reinforces hardline imperatives over pragmatic governance, potentially intensifying repression and internal dissent rather than defusing it. In a regime already under unprecedented external and internal pressure, these structural weaknesses make sustained stabilization under his leadership very unlikely.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not an official policy or position of New Lines Institute.

ATTACHMENT TWENTY THREE – FROM REUTERS

KHAMENEI'S DEATH BRINGS KHOMEINI'S GRANDSON INTO FOCUS

By Reuters March 2, 2026 6:08 AM ESTUpdated March 2, 2026

Item 1 of 3 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's grandson, Hassan Khomeini stands next to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the 36th anniversary of the death of the leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, at Khomeini's shrine in southern Tehran, Iran June 4, 2025. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS

Summary

· Hassan Khomeini has a track record of urging reform

· Founder's grandson has never served in government

· Khomeini is a mid-ranking cleric with ceremonial role

· Some politicians see him as a rival to hardline candidates

March 1 (Reuters) - A grandson of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, is likely to figure prominently in the deliberations of the clerics who will determine who replaces Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader.

The killing of Khamenei, 86, in a U.S.-Israeli attack has brought new urgency to the question of who will be the next Supreme Leader, a long-simmering issue over which there had been no clarity despite his age.

Hassan Khomeini is the most visible of the late Ayatollah's 15 grandchildren and is seen as a relative moderate within Iran's clerical establishment. He enjoys close ties to reformists including former presidents Mohammed Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, who both pursued policies of engagement with the West when in office.

Khomeini, 53, holds a symbolically important role in public life as custodian of his grandfather's mausoleum in southern Tehran. He has never served in government.

Some politicians inside Iran have seen him as a rival to hardliners who gained sway under Khamenei, notably his son, Mojtaba.

The case for installing a moderate successor to Khamenei gained momentum among some Iranian politicians in the wake of unrest that swept Iran in January as a means of shoring up the Islamic Republic in the face of widening dissent.

KHOMEINI DEMANDED ACCOUNTABILITY FOR AMINI'S DEATH

While loyal to the Islamic Republic established after the Shah was toppled in 1979, Khomeini has a track record of urging reform and has occasionally voiced dissent against authorities.

In 2021, he criticised the Guardian Council - the branch of Iran's theocracy responsible for vetting presidential candidates - after it barred reformists from running.

The council's move paved the way for the victory of hardliner Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in 2024.

"You can't pick someone for me and tell me to vote for them!" Khomeini said at the time.

He also demanded accountability after Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman who died in 2022 after being taken into custody by morality police, accused of violating conservative dress codes - an incident that ignited countrywide protests.

Authorities "must transparently and precisely account for what has happened to this 22-year-old girl under the pretext of 'guidance and education'," he said.

But, reflecting his loyalty to the system, the mid-ranking cleric also criticised protesters who chanted against Khamenei.

During the unrest that swept Iran in December and January - the deadliest since the 1979 revolution - he rallied behind the establishment, accusing rioters of serving Israel, taking part in a pro-government march, and likening some of the violence to the actions of Islamic State.

In a condolence letter, Khomeini said Khamenei would forever "be the hero of the people of Iran and Muslims", adding: "The noble people of Iran will once again walk the path of the Imam (Khomeini) by overcoming this incident."

'PROGRESSIVE THEOLOGIAN'

A close friend of Khomeini's, speaking to Reuters in 2015, described him as a progressive theologian, especially when it comes to music, women's rights, and social freedom. He follows trends on social media and is interested in Western philosophy as much as Islamic thought.

His wife, Sayyeda Fatima, is the daughter of an Ayatollah, and they have four children.

Some reformists urged him to run for the presidency in 2012, but he declined.

Khomeini supported the Rouhani government that negotiated the 2015 nuclear agreement, which eased sanctions in return for limits on the nuclear programme - until U.S. President Donald Trump tore it up in 2018.

He has spoken openly about economic hardships endured by Iranians during years of sanctions imposed over the nuclear programme.

BLOCKED FROM RUNNING FOR ASSEMBLY OF EXPERTS

A decade ago, Khomeini sought to run in an election for the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for picking the Supreme Leader.

He secured an initial nod of approval for his candidacy from Khamenei, who reportedly gave his blessing while also cautioning Khomeini against doing any harm to his grandfather's name. But he was later disqualified by the Guardian Council.

Though his religious credentials were cited for the disqualification - Khomeini holds the clerical rank of Hojatoleslam, one notch below Ayatollah - the move was seen as intended to head off a potential challenge by the reformist camp.

In 2008, he was widely regarded as criticising Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) when he said in an interview that those claiming loyalty to his grandfather's legacy should follow his order that the military must stay out of politics. He nevertheless enjoys close ties to the Guards, an elite force tasked with safeguarding the Islamic Revolution.

During the 12-day air war between Israel and Iran last year, Khomeini wrote to Khamenei praising his leadership and saying Iranian missiles had become a nightmare for Israel and a source of satisfaction for the Iranian nation, according to Jamaran, an Iranian news website dedicated to Khomeini's memory.

Khomeini has described Israel as the "evil Zionist regime" and "a cancerous tumor" backed by the West, and has said the Muslim world should make itself strong to confront Zionism, according to statements reported by Jamaran.

He is fluent in Arabic and English, according to the biography, and was a keen footballer until the age of 21, when his grandfather insisted he go to the city of Qom to study Islamic theology.

ATTACHMENT TWENTY FOUR – FROM IUK

Khomeini’s grandson eyed as Iran’s next Supreme Leader after airstrike

By Parisa Hafezi & Tom Perry Monday 02 March 2026 10:16 EST

Related: Iran reveals underground attack drone stockpile in chilling propaganda video

· The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US airstrike has brought new urgency to the question of who will become Iran’s new Supreme Leader.

· Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, is a prominent figure in these deliberations and is seen as a relative moderate within the establishment.

· Mr Khomeini, 53, holds a symbolically important role as custodian of his grandfather's mausoleum and has close ties to reformist politicians.

· Some politicians inside Iran have seen him as a rival to hardliners who gained sway under Ayatollah Khamenei, notably his son, Mojtaba.

· Despite his reformist leanings, Khomeini has also demonstrated loyalty to the Islamic Republic, condemning protesters during recent unrest and expressing strong anti-Israel sentiments.

Who is Hassan Khomeini? The late Ayatollah’s grandson who could become Iran’s next Supreme Leader

The 53-year-old is seen as a relative moderate within Iran’s establishment

By Parisa Hafezi & Tom Perry Monday 02 March 2026 09:26 EST

The grandson of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran is likely to feature prominently as clerics deliberate who will become the country’s new Supreme Leader.

The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, in a US-Israeli strike on Saturday has brought new urgency to the question of who will replace him.

It has been a long-simmering issue over which there has been no clarity, despite the late Ayatollah’s age.

Hassan Khomeini is the most visible of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s 15 grandchildren and is seen as a relative moderate within Iran's establishment.

He has close ties to reformists, including former presidents Mohammed Khatami and Hassan Rouhani, who both pursued policies of engagement with the West when in office.

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Mr Khomeini, 53, holds a symbolically important role, as custodian of his grandfather's mausoleum in southern Tehran. He has never served in government.

Some politicians inside Iran have seen him as a rival to hardliners who gained sway under Ayatollah Khamenei, notably his son, Mojtaba.

The case for installing a moderate successor to the late Supreme Leader gained momentum among some Iranian politicians in the wake of unrest that swept Iran in January as a means of shoring up the Islamic Republic in the face of widening dissent.

KHOMEINI HAS OCCASIONALLY VOICED DISSENT

While he is loyal to the Islamic Republic established after the Shah was toppled in 1979, Mr Khomeini has a track record of urging reform and has occasionally voiced dissent against authorities.

In 2021, he criticised the Guardian Council – the branch of Iran's theocracy responsible for vetting presidential candidates – after it barred reformists from running.

The council's move paved the way for the victory of hardliner Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in 2024.

· I’m an expert on Iran. Here’s what could come next after US strikes targeting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

· Why Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death is unlikely to mean the end of the Islamic regime

· How succession works in Iran and who could be the country’s next supreme leader

· Trump says US had identified candidates to take over Iran but they were killed in initial strikes

"You can't pick someone for me and tell me to vote for them!" Mr Khomeini said at the time.

He also demanded accountability after Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian woman, died in 2022 after being taken into custody by morality police, accused of violating conservative dress codes, in an incident that ignited countrywide protests.

Authorities "must transparently and precisely account for what has happened to this 22-year-old girl under the pretext of 'guidance and education'," he said.

But, reflecting his loyalty to the system, the mid-ranking cleric also criticised protesters who chanted against Mr Khameini.

During the unrest that swept Iran in December and January – the deadliest since the 1979 revolution – he rallied behind the establishment, accusing rioters of serving Israel, taking part in a pro-government march, and likening some of the violence to the actions of Islamic State.

In a condolence letter, Mr Khomeini said the late Supreme Ruler would forever "be the hero of the people of Iran and Muslims", adding: "The noble people of Iran will once again walk the path of the Imam (Khomeini) by overcoming this incident."

ATTACHMENT TWENTY FIVE – FROM NEW LINES

REAL-TIME ANALYSIS: ALI KHOMEINI, GRANDSON OF REGIME FOUNDER, LIKELY NEXT SUPREME LEADER

by Nozar Vaziri 03/01/2026 

According to Iranian President Masood Pezeshkian, the next supreme leader after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be announced in “one to two days.”

Per Shia Imamate doctrine, which has continued in Shia clerical traditions, succession must be passed from fathers to their oldest or most able sons and through them to their male progeny. The institution of kingship in Iran is a 2,500-year-long tradition, which follows the same pattern. Both notions – kingship and Imamate – are highly resonant in Iranian culture.

The founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, cleverly combined these two powerful cultural strands in his theory of Velayat Faghih, or rule by a jurist who is invested with unlimited power.

While Iran’s ruling establishment is free to choose any cleric they wish to become the next supreme leader, it is highly unlikely they would not leverage this dual nature of Velayat Faghih for the successor to Khamenei.

Khamenei had four sons: Massood, Mostafa, Meisam, and Mojtaba. By far the most able and capable son among these is Mojtaba.

The Ayatollah Khomeini had two sons, Mostafa and Ahmad. Both are long dead, but they had several sons of their own. Mostafa had one prominent son, Hossein, who became a dissident; Ahmad’s sons, Yasser, Hassan, and Ali, operated within the establishment. Of these, Yasser is too young and too inexperienced. Hassan is the best known of Ahmad’s sons, but he is associated with the Reformist camp, and most regime loyalists do not trust him for that reason, effectively eliminating him from consideration.

That leaves Ayatollah Ali Khomenei, who is an Islamist as well as a highly astute and effective politician, as the best contender for the mantle of the supreme leader within the Khomeini clan.

Vigorous Challenge

It is a safe assumption that there will be fierce competition behind the scenes between the two main contenders, Mojtaba Khamenei and Ali Khomeini. The former is highly popular among rank-and-file Islamists because he had been so close to his father and assumed a leadership role while his father was alive.

However, he is unlikely to prevail against Ali Khomeini for several reasons. Ayatollah Khamenei had become very unpopular among the public toward the end of his reign, with grievances including a deteriorating economy, a repressive domestic policy, and foreign policy goals that saw many losses and costs with few or no benefits. In this way, his son is suffering by association with his father and his policies.

Whoever becomes supreme leader must convey the beginning of a new era, not the continuation of past failed policies. Otherwise he will be unpopular from the very start. The Islamic Republic cannot survive without structural reforms and a public that gives these reforms a chance. Mojtaba cannot deliver on the latter imperative.

The death of Mojtaba’s wife and several other relatives in the operation that killed his father has raised sympathy, but this is only confined to the Islamist camp who constitute less than 10% of the population.

Why Ali Khomeini Now?

Ali Khomeini has many important advantages in the selection process for supreme leader. First, he represents the Khomeini brand, which means a great deal in Iran. Second, his politics are orthodox and Islamist. At a moment when non-Islamist Iranians have lost faith in the ruling establishment, the only constituency he can bank on initially is the Islamist crowd.

Third, he is married to the granddaughter of Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani of Iraq. This makes him unique among his clerical peers. He is expected to leverage that unique connection to bridge

Fourth, today Ali Khomeini delivered a grave and moving minute-and-a-half-long speech as eulogy to Khamenei, and Mojtaba has not, which leaves little doubt that the grandson of the founder of the Islamic Republic has a high chance of being declared the next supreme leader. Finally, in contrast to Khamenei, who showed little flexibility to compromise on the all-important issue of a nuclear deal with the United States, Khomeini, Ali’s grandfather, was far more canny and far less doctrinaire.

For example, he helped facilitate the end of the Iran-Iraq War by accepting a bitter peace he termed a “poisoned chalice.” Ali Khomeini could leverage that legacy to sue for a comprehensive agreement that goes beyond the 2015 JCPOA in meeting all or many of the White House’s demands.

The announcement of the new supreme leader is doubly important because it could coincide with U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration of a temporary or permanent ceasefire while the new leader is taking charge.

Veiled Iranian women stand in a line under portraits of Iran’s late leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, on June 20, 2025. (Photo by Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

ATTACHMENT TWENTY SIX – FROM WIKI

Hassan Mostafavi Khomeini^[a] (born 23 July 1972) is an Iranian Shia cleric and politician who has served as Custodian of the Mausoleum of Khomeini since 1995. A member of the Khomeini family and the grandson of the first Iranian supreme leader Ruhollah Khomeini, he has held relatively moderate and reformist views in contrast to the hardline views held by his grandfather.

BIOGRAPHY

He spent his childhood alternately in Qom and Najaf, with his maternal grandfather, Muhammad Baqir Sultani Tabatabai, and his paternal grandfather, Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran.^[1] He is the son of Ahmad Khomeini and Fatemeh Tabatabai.^[2]

He is married to Neda Bojnourdi, daughter of Mohammad Mousavi Bojnourdi [fa], and has four children.^[3]

CAREER

After his seminary studies from 1989-1993, Hassan Khomeini became a cleric.^[4]

In 1995, following the death of Ahmad Khomeini, he was appointed custodian of the Mausoleum of Khomeini where his grandfather and father are buried.^[5][4] He has had official meetings with officials such as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.^[6] He also taught in the holy city of Qom, and has published his first book on Islamic sects.

He has been described as having "expressed frustration with some policies of a regime dominated by fundamentalists", such as former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.^[7] In an interview in February 2008, Khomeini spoke out against military interference in politics.^[8] Soon after, in what some observers believe may have been retaliation,^[7][5] an article in a publication tied to President Ahmadinejad accused him of corruption,^[5] "claiming that he drove a BMW, backed rich politicians and was indifferent to the suffering of the poor".^[7] This was "the first time in the history of the Islamic Republic" that one of Khomeini's offspring was "publicly insulted", according to the Iranian daily newspaper Kargozaran.^[5] Khomeini met with reformers before the 2009 election^[7] and met with defeated presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi and "supported his call to cancel the election results".^[5]

On 9 December 2015, he announced that he would enter politics and run for the Assembly of Experts in the 2016 election.^[9][10] His nomination was rejected by the Guardian Council on 10 February 2016.^[11]

In June 2020, Iranian media speculated that he would be a presidential candidate in the 2021 election,^[11] although he declined to stand on the advice of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.^{[citation needed]}

On May 31, 2023, a journalist was assaulted by Hassan Khomeini's bodyguards while trying to photograph him alongside Mohammad Khatami. The incident happened in the headquarters of Ettela'at in Tehran, during an event marking the first anniversary of the death of the institute’s director Mahmoud Doaei [fa]. The bodyguards punched, kicked, and insulted the journalist, while Khomeini's security chief examined his phone. The Iranian Labour News Agency condemned the bodyguards for attacking journalism.^[12] After the incident became viral, Khomeini apologized to the journalist.^[13]

Hassan Khomeini criticized Donald Trump for disregarding human rights concerns, warning the people against a potential fall of the theocratic regime in January 2026, attributing the unrest to "ISIS-like terrorism" during the protests while praising Ayatollah Khamenei's courage and wisdom in handling the "engineered" instability hostile countries allegedly sought to cause.^[14][15]

2026 SUPREME LEADER ELECTION

Main article: 2026 Iranian Supreme Leader election

After the assassination of Ali Khamenei, a transitional council was established during the 2026 Iran war until the Assembly of Experts named a new Supreme Leader. Khomeini was one of the clerics designated as a potential successor, along with Mojtaba Khamenei (who was ultimately selected), Alireza Arafi, Mohammad-Mahdi Mirbagheri, and Hashem Hosseini Bushehri.^[16][17]

Notes

a. Persian: حسن مصطفوی خمینی

References

1. "Iranians blog on election crisis". BBC News. 17 June 2009. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2012.

2. Michael Rubin (17 March 2008). "Iran News Round Up". National Review Online. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 6 October 2013.

3. "Hassan's children". Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2015.

4. Helia Ighani; Garrett Nada (31 May 2013). "Khomeini's rebel grandchildren rock the vote". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.

5.  Ali Reza Eshraghi. (20 August 2009). Khamenei vs. Khomeini Archived 21 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 23 August 2009

6. Hassan Khomeini Meets Bashar, Nasrallah Archived 18 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Iran Daily, Retrieved 23-August-2009

7. Grandchildren of the revolution. Najmeh Bozorgmehr and Roula Khalaf 4 March 2009 Archived 5 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 August 2009

8.  in the weekly magazine Shahrvand-e-Emrooz, quoted in "Khamenei vs. Khomeini" Ali Reza Eshraghi Archived 21 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine, 20 August 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2009

9. "Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's grandson to enter Iran politics". Archived from the original on 28 June 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2015.

10. Faghihi, Rohollah (17 September 2015). "Assembly election heats up as Ayatollah Khomeini's grandson indicates he will stand". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2016.

11. Maryam Sinaiee (12 June 2020). "Khomeini's Grandson Possible Presidential Candidate?". Radio Farda. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.

12. "ILNA Reporter Insulted, Beaten for Approaching Hassan Khomeini". iranwire.com. Retrieved 1 March 2026.

13. "Recent Beating of Reporter Is Nothing New for Iran, Journalist Says". Voice of America. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2026.

14. "Grandson of Iran's late supreme leader says Iranians would suffer if the regime fell". Egypt Independent. 14 January 2026. Retrieved 1 March 2026.

15. "Seyyed Hassan Khomeini denounces foreign backed riots in Iran". Jamaran News. 2 February 2026.

16. Al Lawati, Abbas (1 March 2026). "Who might replace Iran's supreme leader? There's no clear successor". CNN. Retrieved 1 March 2026.

17. Edwards, Christian (1 March 2026). "Who's running Iran now that the supreme leader is dead?". CNN. Retrieved 1 March 2026.

 Media related to Hassan Khomeini at Wikimedia Commons

ATTACHMENT TWENTY SEVEN – FROM EGYPT INDEPENDENT

GRANDSON OF IRAN’S LATE SUPREME LEADER SAYS IRANIANS WOULD SUFFER IF THE REGIME FELL

From CNN’s Helen Regan and Banafsheh Keynoush January 14, 2026

Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the founder of Iran’s Islamic republic, has said that if the country’s theocratic regime were to fall, Iranians would suffer.

“The day after the Islamic Republic, there is no security, freedom, or welfare in the country,” Khomeini said in an interview with Iran state media IRIB broadcast Tuesday.

Khomeini is the grandson of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who oversaw the 1979 revolution and the overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a Western-installed monarch, paving the way for clerical rule.

He claimed an ISIS-like “terrorism” was driving the unrest, saying “the events of Thursday evening and onward had nothing to do with protests.”

“We witnessed a (level of) violence that doesn’t sit with Iranian sensibilities,” he said, according to state media. “It was an ISIS style violence. It seems to me behind the curtain, a big part of it is an ISIS trend that came in from neighboring countries.”

Violence in the protests, which exploded last month over widespread economic grievances, ramped up Thursday night after authorities cut internet access and launched a brutal crackdown on protesters, whom they have called “rioters and terrorists.”

On US President Donald Trump – who has said his administration is monitoring the deadly protests in Iran and is continuing to weigh potential military options – Hassan Khomeini said, “Trump closes his own eyes on the issue of human rights.”

Future leaders? Iran’s current Supreme Leader is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has been in power since 1989 following the death of his predecessor Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

It remains unclear whether Iran’s establishment has any future successors but analysts cite potential candidates like Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the current leader, as well as Hassan Khomeini. Both are themselves clerics.

ATTACHMENT TWENTY EIGHT – FROM WIKI

MOJTABA KHAMEINI

· Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei
مجتبی خامنهای
Khamenei in 2019
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran for Political and Security Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office c. 1997
Supreme Leader	Ali Khamenei (1997–2026) Interim Leadership Council (2026–present)
Preceded by	Position established
Personal details
Born	Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei 8 September 1969 (age 56) Mashhad, Iran
Spouse	Zahra Haddad-Adel (m. 2004; died 2026)
Children	3, including 1 deceased
Parents	· Ali Khamenei · Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh
Relatives	Khamenei family
Education	Qom Seminary
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Iran
Branch/service	Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Years of service	· 1987–1988 (Ground Forces) · 2009–present (Basij)
Unit	27th Mohammad Rasulullah Division (1987–1988)
Commands	Basij (de facto)
Battles/wars	· Iran–Iraq War · Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas 2 · Operation Beit ol-Moqaddas 4 · Operation Dawn 10 · Green Revolution
Title	Ayatollah
Alma mater	Qom Seminary
Religious life
Religion	Shia Islam
Denomination	Twelver
Jurisprudence	Usuli
Senior posting
Teacher	· Ali Khamenei · Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi · Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi · Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani · Mohammad Bagher Kharazi

Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei^[a] (born 8 September 1969) is an Iranian politician and Twelver Shi'ite cleric. The second eldest child of Ali Khamenei, the former supreme leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei served in the Iran–Iraq War from 1987 to 1988, and also reportedly took control of the Basij that was used to suppress the protests over the 2009 election.

On 4 November 2019 the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Mojtaba as part of their policy targeting individuals linked to Ali Khamenei, stating they were involved in repression inside and outside Iran.^[1][2]

He is seen as the most influential son of Khamenei and as a possible successor to his father as supreme leader.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

Mojtaba is tipped as the next supreme leader of Iran by the Assembly of Experts, after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was assassinated on 28 February 2026 by the US-Israel missile strikes that were carried out against targets in Iran.^[8][9][10] According to Iran International, Mojtaba Khamenei is preferred by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which reportedly pressured the Assembly of Experts to elect him.^[11] Analysts predict that he will view the United States as an "implacable enemy" and is likely to escalate the conflict and unlikely to make any compromises.^[12][8]

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei was born on 8 September 1969 in Mashad as the second child of Ali Khamenei and Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh.^[13][14] He spent seven years of his childhood in the cities of Sardasht and Mahabad in northwest Iran, where he received his early education.^[15][16] After graduating from high school, he studied Islamic theology. His early teachers included his own father and Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi.^[13] Mojtaba Khamenei's early childhood coincided with his father emerging as a leading revolutionary against the Iranian monarchy of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.^[17]

During the Iran-Iraq war, Khamenei is said to have served in the Habib Battalion, serving alongside many who would rise to powerful positions in Iran's security and intelligence institutions, including the leading ranks of the IRGC.^[18] It is widely believed that these early relationships have facilitated his strong and lasting connections within the security establishment of the Islamic Republic, allowing him to shape election outcomes and coordinate crackdowns on protests against regime policy.^[18]

In addition to his close ties with the IRGC and its hardline factions, he is known for his strong opposition to reformist politics and to relations with Western countries. He is also believed to have influenced Iran's state broadcasting, indirectly shaping the country's information and narrative.^[19]

In 1999, Khamenei continued his studies in Qom to become a cleric. Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani and Mohammad Bagher Kharazi were his teachers there.^[13][20]

According to The Guardian and French newspaper Libération, among other sources, Khamenei is widely believed to control large financial assets.^[4][21] This allegation was rejected by Assembly of the Forces of Imam's Line, an Iranian political group led by his uncle Hadi Khamenei.^[22]

Mojtaba teaches theology in the Qom Seminary.^[23] Mojtaba Khamenei married Zahra Haddad-Adel in 2004.^[24][25] Their first child was born in 2007.^[26] According to the Iranian government in 2026, a son, his wife, his father, and his mother were killed in US-Israeli strikes.^[7][27][28]

CONTROVERSIES

SUPPORT FOR AHMADINEJAD

Khamenei was affiliated with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,^[29] and supported Ahmadinejad in the 2005 and 2009 controversial presidential elections.^[30][31] Journalists stated that he may "have played a leading role in orchestrating" Ahmadinejad's electoral victory in 2009.^[4][13]

Khamenei was speculated to have been "a key figure in orchestrating the crackdown against anti-government protesters" in June 2009.^[32] He was believed to have been directly in charge of the paramilitary Basij, a blackout of his name in the regime press notwithstanding.^[4]

In an open letter, Mehdi Karroubi, a reformist candidate in the 2009 election, accused Mojtaba Khamenei of conspiring to rig the election in Ahmadinejad's favor, referring to illegal interference of "a network".^[33]

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad later accused Mojtaba Khamenei of embezzling from the state treasury.^[21]

WEALTH AND ALLEGED OVERSEAS REAL ESTATE NETWORK

Mojtaba Khamenei is widely believed to control significant financial assets in banks such as Bank Ayandeh.^[21][34]

A year-long investigation by Bloomberg, citing assessments from people familiar with the matter, reported in January 2026 that Khamenei is linked to an offshore financial network used to hold and move assets outside Iran. The reported holdings include high-value real estate in London and Dubai, as well as interests connected to shipping, banking relationships, and hospitality assets in Europe. According to the investigation, the assets were generally not held in Khamenei's name but structured through intermediaries and layered corporate entities across multiple jurisdictions. Some of these assets have since been sold or restructured amid increased scrutiny.^[35]

Bloomberg identified Ali Ansari, an Iranian businessman sanctioned by the United Kingdom, as a central alleged facilitator in the network. Property records and corporate filings reportedly link Ansari and associated companies to several London properties, including residences on The Bishops Avenue, and to hotel ownership and management entities in Germany and other countries. Ansari has denied any financial or personal relationship with Mojtaba Khamenei and has stated that he intends to challenge the UK sanctions.^[35]

The investigations further alleged that funds linked to the network largely originated from Iranian oil revenues and were routed through financial institutions in multiple jurisdictions, despite international sanctions imposed on Mojtaba Khamenei in 2019.^[35]

On 14 January 2026, during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, U.S. Treasury Department Secretary Scott Bessent announced that "millions and tens of millions" of dollars have been wired by Iran's leaders to financial institutions worldwide, and Israel's Channel 14 reported that $1.5 billion in cryptocurrency had been sent to an account in Dubai with the involvement of Khamenei (who alone sent approximately $328 million).^[36]

SANCTIONS

In 2019, Mojtaba Khamenei was placed under US sanctions for acting in place of the Supreme Leader without ever being elected or appointed to any official position^[37] and for working closely with the commander of the Quds Force, responsible for "covert operations including lethal aid, intelligence, financing, and training" of the Taliban, Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Popular Mobilization Forces Iraq and others;^[38] and for fostering close ties with the Basij paramilitary group as well as advancing "his father's destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives."^[37]

CANDIDACY FOR SUPREME LEADERSHIP

Several analysts considered Mojtaba as a possible successor to his father.^[4][6] This was thought by some to present a problem, for the Supreme Leader needs to be elected by the Assembly of Experts from among senior Shia Islamic scholars, but it has been noted that the inaugural Supreme Leader, Ruhollah Khomeini, exerted a strong influence in favour of the choice of Khamenei's father,^[29] and unconfirmed reports state that Ali Khamenei had opposed nominating his son as successor.^[39][40] The Los Angeles Times reported in 2009 that Mojtaba's religious and political stature may not have been enough for Ali Khamenei to have ultimately named his son as his successor^[30] and the Assembly of Experts is considered by The Atlantic to be a ceremonial body without any real power.^[41][42]

INADEQUATE RELIGIOUS CREDENTIALS

The Iranian constitution dictates the adherance to Khomeini's interpretation of the principle of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist (velayat-e faqih).^[43] According to this interpretation, the Supreme Leader must be a Mujtahid, capable of interpreting Sharia law,^[44] and have attained the highest level of Shia clergy.^[43] As a Source of Emulation (marja e-taghlid) he is required to hold the rank of Grand Ayatollah or Imam, stand at the helm of a religious seminary (Hawza) and issue decrees on the practice of Sharia law are which are observed by followers and clergy of lower rank.^[43] Mojtaba is a Hojjatoleslam, a rank below Ayatollah,^[31] nor is he a Mujtahed, and he lacks the executive and administrative experience required by the constitution of the Islamic Republic.^[18]

The Guardian argues that "The strength of Mojtaba's following has not been demonstrated", and while he wears clerical robes he "by no means has the theological status" to rise to Supreme Leader.^[4]

OPPOSITION TO DYNASTIC SUCCESSION

During the presidency of Ebrahim Raisi, Mojtaba was one of the clerics speculated as a possible successor as supreme leader.^[45][46] However, he was considered unlikely to succeed his father.^{[47][48][49][50][51][29][52]} The Middle East Institute opined that Khamenei appointing his own son as successor would cause conflict within the Iranian political and religious leadership,^[53] as it would be a sign that the revolutionary Islamic system of government had evolved to dynastic rule.^[54] Shia theological principles prohibit such a succession, and both Mojtaba and previous Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have voiced their opposition to it.^[55]

EARLY MARCH 2026

See also: 2026 Iranian Supreme Leader election

Mojtaba Khamenei is one of the likely candidates to replace his father as the new Supreme Leader. According to Iran International, Mojtaba Khamenei is preferred by the IRGC, which pressured Assembly of Experts members to elect him on 3 March, by "in-person meetings and phone calls".^[11][56] There was strong opposition from some members of the council,^[57] including eight who stated that they would boycott a second online electoral meeting planned for 5 March.^[56] Mehmet Ozalp stated in The Conversation that, following Mojtaba Khamenei's election, he "[might] lean more heavily on the might of the IRGC" than his father did.^[19] The Daily Telegraph predicted that he would view the United States "implacable enemy" and would be likely to escalate the conflict and unlikely to make any compromises.^[12]

On 5 March 2026, US President Donald Trump responded to the reports that Mojtaba Khamenei is tipped for elections by saying: "They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment [...]".^[58]

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17. Mojtaba Khamenei: The Supreme Leader's Gatekeeper & Guardian

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35. Bartenstein, Ben (28 January 2026). "How the Son of Iran's Supreme Leader Built a Global Property Empire". Bloomberg.

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37. "Treasury Designates Supreme Leader of Iran's Inner Circle Responsible for Advancing Regime's Domestic and Foreign Oppression". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 23 December 2025. Archived from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2026.

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ATTACHMENT TWENTY NINE – FROM GUK

ALI KHAMENEI’S SON MOJTABA FAVOURITE TO SUCCEED HIM AS IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER

Choice of anti-western candidate would give signal that senior figures will not seek accommodation with US

·

BY PATRICK WINTOUR DIPLOMATIC EDITOR WED 4 MAR 2026 07.08 EST

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the assassinated Ali Khamenei, is being heavily tipped to succeed his father as supreme leader of Iran, which would pitch a hardliner into the task of steering the Islamic republic through the most turbulent period in its 48-year history and offer a powerful signal that, for now, it has no intention of changing course.

No official confirmation has been given and the announcement may be delayed until after the funeral of Ali Khamenei, which was on Wednesday postponed.

His son is believed to have been the choice of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Israeli defence minister, Gideon Saar, has warned he will be assassinated.

Ayatollah Seyed Khatani, a member of the Assembly of Experts, the body that chooses the new supreme leader, said the assembly was close to selecting a leader.

Rigid in his anti-western views, Mojtaba Khamenei is not the candidate Donald Trump would have wanted. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said on Tuesday that Iran was run by “religious fanatic lunatics” – and Khamenei’s appointment is hardly likely to dispel that opinion.

'THEY WERE GOING TO ATTACK FIRST': TRUMP GIVES UPDATE ON IRAN – VIDEO

The choice of supreme leader is made by the 88-strong Assembly of Experts, who in this case are picking from a field of six possible candidates. His election would be a powerful if unsurprising symbol that the government is not looking to find an accommodation with America.

Trump has said the worst-case scenario would be if Khamenei’s successor was .

There has been speculation for more than a decade that he would be his father’s successor, which grew when Ebrahim Raisi, the elected president and favourite of Khamenei, was .

Mojtaba Khamenei was born in 1969 and studied theology after graduating from high school. At the age of 17, he went to serve in the Iran-Iraq war, but it was not until the late 1990s that he came to be recognised as a public figure in his own right.

After the landslide defeat of Khamenei’s preferred candidate, Ali Akbar Nategh Nuri, in the 1997 presidential election, where he won only 25% of the final vote, various conservative Iranian groups realised the need to make changes to their structures and Mojtaba Khamenei was central to that project.

He was also seen as instrumental by reformists in suppressing the protests in 2009 that came after allegations the presidential election had been rigged, with his name chanted in the streets as one of those responsible. Mostafa Tajzadeh, a senior member of Iran’s reformist parties who was imprisoned after the vote, alleged that his and his wife, Fakhr al-Sadat Mohtashamipour’s, legal case was under the direct supervision of Mojtaba Khamenei.

In 2022 he was given the title of ayatollah – essential to his promotion. By then he was a regular figure by his father’s side at political meetings, as well as playing an influential role in the Islamic Republic’s Broadcasting Corporation, the government’s official media outlet often criticised for churning out dull political propaganda that many Iranians reject in favour of overseas satellite channels. He has also played a central role in the administration of his father’s substantial financial empire.

His closest political allies are Ahmad Vahidi, the newly appointed IRGC commander; Hossein Taeb, a former head of the IRGC’s intelligence organisation; and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the current speaker of the parliament.

His rumoured appointment and its hereditary nature has long been resisted by reformists. The former prime minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, referring to the long history of rumours about Mojtaba Khamenei succeeding his father as leader, wrote in 2022: “News of this conspiracy have been heard for 13 years. If they are not truly pursuing it, why don’t they deny such an intention once and for all?”

The Assembly of Experts, in response, denounced “meaninglessness of doubts” and said the assembly would select only “the most qualified and the most suitable”.

Israel on Tuesday struck the building in the Iranian city of Qom, one of Shia Islam’s main seats of power, where the assembly was scheduled, but the building was empty, according to IRGC-affiliated media.

ATTACHMENT THIRTY – FROM reuters

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, frontrunner to be Iran's supreme leader?

By Reuters

March 4, 20268:23 AM ESTUpdated March 4, 2026

Mojtaba Khamenei seen as frontrunner to succeed his father

· He has built close ties with elite Revolutionary Guards

· Mojtaba has never held a formal government role

· He has opposed reformers seeking to engage with West

March 4 (Reuters) - Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son Mojtaba has emerged as frontrunner to succeed his late father as Iran's supreme leader after years spent forging close ties with the elite Revolutionary Guards and building influence in the clerical establishment.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, has survived the U.S.-Israeli air war on Iran and is seen by Iran's establishment as a potential successor to his father, who was killed in an airstrike on Saturday, two Iranian sources said on Wednesday.

A powerful mid-ranking cleric, Mojtaba has opposed reformers seeking to engage with the West as it tries to curb Iran's nuclear programme, and has long greater freedoms.

His close ties with the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) give him added leverage across Iran's political and security apparatus and he has built up influence behind the scenes as his father's "gatekeeper", sources familiar with the matter said.

"He has strong constituency and support within the IRGC, in particular amongst the younger radical generations," said Kasra Aarabi, head of researching the IRGC at United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S.-based policy organisation.

"So if Mojtaba is alive, there is a high chance that he will succeed (his father)," he said, describing Mojtaba as already operating as a "mini supreme leader".

DECISION ON SUPREME LEADER EXPECTED SOON

The Assembly of Experts that will select the new leader is "close to a conclusion" and will announce its decision soon, Assembly member Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami told state TV on Wednesday, without naming the candidates.

The supreme leader has the final say on matters of state, including foreign policy and Iran's nuclear programme. Western powers want to prevent Tehran developing nuclear arms. Iran says its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only.

If elected, Mojtaba will face pressure from U.S. sanctions that have hammered the economy and could face opposition from Iranians who have shown they are ready to stage mass protests to press their demands for greater freedoms despite bloody crackdowns by the authorities.

Mojtaba was born in 1969 in the city of Mashhad and grew up as his father was helping lead the opposition to the Shah. As a young man, he served in the Iran-Iraq war.

Mojtaba studied under religious conservatives in the seminaries of Qom, Iran's center of Shi'ite theological learning, and has the clerical rank of Hojjatoleslam.

He has never held a formal position in the Islamic Republic's government, despite being widely seen as the gatekeeper to his father. He has appeared at loyalist rallies, but has rarely spoken in public.

His role has long been a source of controversy in Iran, with critics rejecting any hint of dynastic politics in a country that ⁠overthrew a U.S.-backed monarch in 1979.

US SANCTIONS

The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Mojtaba in 2019, saying he represented the supreme leader in "an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position" aside from working in his father's office.

Its website said Khamenei had delegated some of his responsibilities to Mojtaba, whom it said had worked closely with the commander of the IRGC's Quds Force and the Basij, a religious militia affiliated with the Guards, "to advance his father’s destabilising regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives".

Mojtaba was a particular target for criticism by protesters during unrest over the death of a young woman in police custody in 2022, after she was arrested for allegedly breaching the Islamic Republic's strict dress codes.

In 2024, a video was widely shared in which he announced the suspension of Islamic jurisprudence classes he was teaching at Qom, fuelling speculation about the reasons.

Mojtaba bears a strong resemblance to his father, and wears the black turban of a sayyed, indicating his family traces its lineage to the Prophet Mohammad.

Critics say Mojtaba lacks the clerical credentials to be supreme leader - Hojjatoleslam is a notch below the rank of Ayatollah, the position held by his father ⁠and Ruhollah Khomeini, who founded the Islamic Republic.

But he has remained in the frame, particularly after another leading candidate for the role - the former President Ebrahim Raisi - died in a helicopter crash in 2024.

A U.S. diplomatic cable written in 2007 and published by WikiLeaks cited three Iranian sources describing Mojtaba as an avenue to reach Khamenei.

Mojtaba was widely believed to have been behind the sudden rise of hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was ⁠elected president in 2005.

Mojtaba backed Ahmadinejad in 2009 when he won a second term in a disputed election which resulted in anti-government protests that were violently suppressed by the Basij and other security forces.

Mehdi Karroubi, a moderate cleric who ran in the election, wrote a letter to Khamenei at the time objecting to what he alleged was Mojtaba's role in supporting Ahmadinejad. Khamenei rejected the accusation.

Mojtaba's wife, who was killed in Saturday's airstrikes, was the daughter of a prominent hardliner, the former parliament speaker Gholamali Haddadadel.

ATTACHMENT THIRTY ONE – FROM CBS

WHO WILL BE IRAN'S NEXT SUPREME LEADER? ONE NAME STANDS OUT.

By Imtiaz Tyab Updated on: March 5, 2026 / 2:24 PM EST / CBS News

The assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the early hours of the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran has raised a simple but enormously consequential question: Who will replace him?

For nearly four decades, Khamenei sat atop Iran's complex power structure, serving not just as the country's highest religious authority but also as its ultimate political decision-maker. His killing at the sprawling complex that housed his offices and residence in Tehran has created a vacuum in a system designed above all to prevent exactly that kind of instability.

Formally, the decision now rests with Iran's Assembly of Experts, the powerful clerical body tasked with selecting the country's supreme leader. In practice, however, the outcome will almost certainly emerge from a much smaller circle: senior clerics, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the security establishment that has long underpinned the Islamic Republic's power structure.

Several names have already surfaced. But one stands out.

MOJTABA KHAMENEI

The leading contender is Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's second son.

Unlike many figures in Iran's hierarchy, Mojtaba Khameini has never held elected office. But for years he has operated quietly behind the scenes from within his father's office, cultivating influence across the security establishment, particularly within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

He studied theology in Qom and fought as a young volunteer during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, credentials that still carry weight within the revolutionary elite. Yet his authority has largely come from proximity to power rather than his religious stature.

He is believed to have deep relationships with senior figures in the Revolutionary Guard. That matters enormously in Iran's political system, where the Guards wield vast military, economic and political power.

Georgetown University professor and Iran expert Mehran Kamrava, in Doha, said a Mojtaba succession would likely reflect the system's instinct for survival.

"The deep state in the Islamic Republic wants continuity," Kamrava said in an interview. "If Mojtaba indeed is chosen as his father's successor, it would indicate more than anything else that the Islamic Republic is trying to ensure continuity."

During Ali Khamenei's tenure, the supreme leader managed to maintain authority over the Revolutionary Guard despite the organization's enormous power inside the state.

Kamrava believes Mojtaba is seen inside Iran's power structure as someone capable of preserving that balance.

"The assumption inside Iran is that Mojtaba has a similarly superior position in relation to the commanders of the Revolutionary Guards," Kamrava said. 

If he is ultimately selected, it would signal that Iran's ruling elite has chosen stability over experimentation at a moment of extreme pressure.

It would also mark something unprecedented in the Islamic Republic: a leadership transition that effectively keeps power within the same family.

And while Mojtaba may be the frontrunner, he is (was) not the only figure under discussion.

ALI REZA ARAFI

Another prominent name is Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a senior cleric deeply embedded within Iran's religious institutions. Arafi serves on both the Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts and has spent years overseeing Iran's influential network of seminaries in Qom.

Following Khamenei's assassination, Arafi was reportedly elevated to a temporary leadership council tasked with guiding the country during wartime and through the succession process.

SADEQ LARIJANI

Anther potential candidate is Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, a former judiciary chief and member of one of Iran's most powerful political families. Larijani has long been viewed as a plausible successor because of his clerical credentials and deep ties to the country's political establishment.

HASAN KHOMEINI

Some analysts have also pointed to Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Islamic Republic founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Among clerics and reformist circles he commands respect, though his relatively moderate reputation could make him a difficult choice for Iran's hardline establishment.

MOHAMMAD MEHDI MIRBAGHERI 

Hardline cleric Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri has also been floated as a possible contender due to his ideological alignment with the most conservative factions within Iran's political system.

UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES AHEAD

Whoever emerges as the next supreme leader, the circumstances surrounding this leadership transition are unprecedented.

Khamenei was killed during the opening phase of a war that has already expanded beyond Iran's borders, with missile and drone attacks rippling across the Gulf and the broader Middle East.

Several senior Iranian officials were also reportedly killed in the early strikes, eliminating potential successors and further narrowing the field of candidates.

President Trump, meanwhile, said Iranian officials who are working on selecting the next supreme leader are "wasting their time."

"Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela," Mr. Trump said, referring to the interim president who took power after the U.S. captured Nicolás Maduro.

Leadership transitions inside the Islamic Republic are normally carefully choreographed affairs. The last one occurred in 1989 after the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and involved intense negotiations among clerical and political elites before Khamenei ultimately emerged as the compromise choice.

This time the process is unfolding in the middle of an active war.

Kamrava believes another factor shaping Iran's future leadership is generational change inside the Revolutionary Guard.

Many of the commanders who defined Iran's military posture for decades were veterans of the Iran-Iraq war. That experience, he said, often made them more pragmatic.

"The commanders of the Revolutionary Guards who were killed were those who had cut their teeth in the Iran-Iraq war," Kamrava said. "They had seen battle close up and they had moderated."

Their replacements, however, represent a different generation.

"The younger generation… are far more radical, far less pragmatic," Kamrava added. 

That shift may ultimately shape Iran's direction more than the identity of the next supreme leader. 

Despite the shock of Khamenei's assassination, few analysts expect Iran's political system to transform overnight. Kamrava was direct when asked whether a leadership transition might bring significant change.

"I don't think we're going to see radical shifts in the way the Islamic Republic conducts itself," he said. 

The system may adjust tactically. In the past, Iranian leaders have loosened certain social restrictions after major crises to ease domestic pressure.

But strategically, the structure of power inside Iran remains intact. Clerics, Revolutionary Guard commanders and security institutions still dominate the state. And their priority, especially in wartime, is stability.

Whoever emerges as Iran's next supreme leader will inherit a country under immense strain: a widening regional war, a battered economy and a population that has repeatedly taken to the streets in protest over the past decade.

The Islamic Republic has survived crises before. But this moment is different. For the first time since the 1979 revolution, Iran's supreme leader has been killed during a war — and the system he helped shape is now being tested in real time.

ATTACHMENT THIRTY TWO – FROM AMWAJ (IRAQ/IRAN ETC VIA UK)

Mar. 9, 2026

Deep Dive: The selection of Iran’s third supreme leader

More than a week after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes of the Israeli-US war on Iran, the Assembly of Experts has named his successor: 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei. The selection process has been shrouded in ambiguity amid the fog of war, with the delay compounded by conflicting accounts from members of the 88-seat clerical council tasked with voting on leadership succession.

Ambiguity also surrounds the physical state of Khamenei junior. The bombing of the supreme leader’s compound on Feb. 28 also killed his mother, his wife, and a son. Additionally, a sister was slain along with her husband, together with other relatives. For several days, the younger Khamenei was believed to have been assassinated too, with reports about him being wounded emerging only days ago. The extent of his injuries is unclear, with some political insiders in Tehran suggesting that he may have been in a coma.

None of this stopped Mojtaba Khamenei’s allies in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from pushing for dynastic succession. In normal circumstances, that would be anathema to a state founded on explicit rejection of hereditary rule. The Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, famously deemed the monarchy overthrown in the 1979 revolution to be “abhorrent to Islam.” But little is normal about the current situation. Iran’s rulers are mired in what they perceive to be an existential battle against two longstanding foes. The appointment has therefore been swiftly and broadly welcomed by the political establishment, despite the shock to the ideological foundations of the state.

This is not to say that resistance to the decision from important networks of power has been lacking. Speaking on condition of anonymity, informed Iranian sources told Amwaj.media that the push for the younger Khamenei to succeed his father was led by Hossein Taeb, a longtime confidante of the 56-year-old and former head of the IRGC Intelligence Organization. This push, one senior political insider alleged, “Was against Ayatollah Khamenei’s written will.” The source elaborated that prominent figures who opposed the appointment included Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), and strikingly, Ali Asghar Hejazi, the deputy chief of staff of the Office of the Supreme Leader. Of note, Israeli media have claimed that Hejazi was assassinated on Mar. 6.

Putting aside the contention over dynastic rule and the purported “written will,” political insiders with knowledge of the late Khamenei’s preferences say he did not specify names but rather outlined criteria for Iran’s next leader. These are said to include experience of holding a prominent elected office, which some observers link to the barring of Hassan Khomeini, a grandson of Ayatollah Khomeini close to the Reformist camp, from running for the Assembly of Experts in 2016. The younger Khamenei does not fulfill that criterion either. Although widely associated with hardliners in the public imagination, he has not seemingly conducted any public interviews. Few even know the sound of his voice.

Apart from the ongoing war, two recent developments appear to have upped Khamenei’s fortunes. Last week, Israeli media charged that Khamenei junior had already been selected as supreme leader. Pressed on that claim, US President Donald Trump on Mar. 5 explicitly objected to that scenario, while acknowledging that it may materialize. Undoubtedly, this provided fodder for Taeb and other hardliners pushing for their candidate. 

There is also Masoud Pezeshkian’s sudden public apology on Mar. 7 for Iranian military strikes on neighboring states in retaliation for Israeli-US attacks on Iran. The apology was an unscripted faux pas by the Reformist president, according to informed political sources in Tehran, and promptly ignited a fierce political backlash. Pezeshkian’s misstep amplified calls within the political establishment for a strong, singular voice to replace the three-member interim Leadership Council set up per constitutional provisions. Eager to speed up the naming of their candidate, some hardliners even cited a time limit to the Leadership Council’s term, even though such a restriction does not exist.

Now that he is at least formally Iran’s top decision maker, Khamenei’s appointment could serve two parallel purposes. On one hand, it signals continuity and unwavering defiance in the face of an existential fight for the Islamic Republic’s future. The message is clear: Iran will not back down, regardless of the significant economic and military losses it has faced.

Perhaps counterintuitively, the selection may also pave the way for a negotiated off-ramp. Well aware of its military inferiority vis-a-vis Israel and the United States, Iran narrowly defines victory as simply surviving and imposing sufficient costs on hostile forces that another attack will not be easily entertained. Choosing to end the war with the Islamic Republic remaining in power, and still led by an Ayatollah Khamenei, ticks all boxes—provided that pragmatic political calculations reign supreme. 

There is an additional factor to consider: Israel has threatened to assassinate whoever is selected to become Iran’s next supreme leader, while the US has warned that Khamenei's successor must cooperate or face the same fate as the elder Khamenei. For the conspiracy-minded, this suggests that there may be a minute chance that certain networks in Tehran are, in fact, playing multi-dimensional chess: that the supreme leader they really have in mind may actually be Khamenei junior’s successor. If there is such a ploy, it would be an extremely high-risk and yet high-reward endeavor.

AMBIGUITY ON ELECTION DAY

Made up of 88 senior clerics elected to eight-year terms, the Assembly of Experts is tasked with selecting a successor to Iran’s supreme leader. Candidates must be evaluated on their religious scholarship, political judgment and administrative record.

Under the Iranian Constitution, an appointment requires the support of an absolute majority with a two-thirds quorum, and confers lifetime tenure as the state's supreme authority. With the interim Leadership Council filling the immediate vacuum, the Assembly has been conducting closed-door deliberations over whether to coalesce around a pragmatic figure or a hardline ideologue. The process has involved intense lobbying from multiple power centers, with the IRGC among the key stakeholders shaping the outcome.

The junior Khamenei’s name as a potential successor to his father has been gaining traction for years. The 56-year-old cleric is widely regarded as a significant behind-the-scenes power within Iran's political structure. Yet, given that the Islamic Republic was founded in explicit rejection of hereditary rule, other names that have been floated as potential successors include Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a conservative cleric who sits on the interim Leadership Council; Ali and Hassan Khomeini, grandsons of the founder of the Islamic Republic; and, Hassan Rouhani, a moderate former president (2013-21).

The day of Khamenei junior’s election was marked by contradictory comments by members of the Assembly of Experts. Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda asserted that the council had already voted for a new supreme leader. The hardline cleric said, "The vote to appoint the leader has taken place, and the leader has been chosen." He added that according to the constitution, the decision is final and cannot be changed by members.

Ayatollah Mohammad Mehdi Mirbagheri, in a video message, confirmed that a "firm opinion reflecting the majority view" had been established but stopped short of saying a vote had taken place. Hours before the official announcement, he noted that "some obstacles" regarding the formal process still needed to be resolved before a public proclamation.

However, Ayatollah Mojtaba Hosseini rejected the notion that a leader had been selected, telling the hardline Tasnim News Agency that it was “unclear” how the voting process was going to take place. Hosseini said the Assembly of Experts “has to convene and take a vote on qualified candidates.”

Meanwhile, at least two members of the clerical council implied that the younger Khamenei, the second-born son of Iran’s slain supreme leader, had been selected to succeed his father. Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Eshkevari stated that a new leader “has been picked with a decisive majority” and that “the Khamenei name will continue as the leader of Iran.”

Hojjatoleslam Asgar Dirbaz echoed that viewpoint, saying that “the majority” view in the Assembly of Experts “is in favor of [Khamenei’s] son” without explicitly naming Khamenei junior. Dirbaz elaborated, “Some [Assembly] members hold a different view, though their vote too is for the sake of God and there is no other intention behind it.” His comments suggested a final vote had not taken place.

Following the announcement of the appointment, Ayatollah Mohsen Heydari told state television that an in-person session of the Assembly of Experts had convened, implying that it was held in Qom even as the council’s buildings in the holy city and Tehran had been bombed, and as members were under the threat of attack. Heydari stated that “more than two-thirds” of council members had convened, thereby meeting the quorum, and that approximately 85% to 90% of those attending had elected Khamenei. Notably, he added that some council members, including those in Qom, were possibly not aware of the “secret” session given security conditions. What the council members who missed the meeting of a lifetime may feel is unclear, but they are unlikely to openly object to what has transpired.

Looking ahead

Both Israel and the US have indicated that Iran’s third supreme leader is not immune to attack. Issuing a direct threat, the Israeli military on Mar. 8 warned in a Persian statement on Twitter/X that “any successor and anyone who attends” the Assembly of Experts session in Qom would be targeted. Separately, Trump told US media that if the next supreme leader “does not get approval from us, he is not going to last long.” Days earlier, the US president had said he must be involved in picking the late Khamenei’s successor and explicitly objected to Khamenei junior taking office, although he conceded that the latter may occur.

The Assembly of Experts and Mojtaba Khamenei’s supporters now face the difficult task of justifying the selection. In the medium term, it risks eroding the political system's legitimacy—among the domestic clerical establishment, within key political and military networks, and across the broader Shiite world. Over time, it could provoke serious internal resistance. But this presumes that Khamenei junior will not only remain alive, but also stay in office. The latter may not necessarily follow from the former.

Khamenei junior’s selection may be geared to end the war on somewhat favorable terms, whether by projecting continuity and defiance or simply by manifesting that the Islamic Republic still lives on and will still be led by an Ayatollah Khamenei. Ultimately, if the endgame is survival, then it should not be assumed that restoring the ideological pillars of the state will not re-emerge as the top priority—and in the process lead to further change in Iran’s leadership. 

ATTACHMENT THIRTY THREE – FROM TELEGRAPH U.K.

DEFIANT IRAN TURNS TO KHAMENEI’S SON

Mojtaba Khamenei, the late ayatollah’s son, has been appointed to succeed his father

By Akhtar Makoii

Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the Islamic Republic’s third supreme leader.

The Assembly of Experts formally announced his selection overnight after a nine-day succession process, with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and National Police both promising full allegiance.

Supporters of the Islamic Republic rallied after midnight in Tehran and other cities, pledging support to the new supreme leader.

The appointment is significant for several reasons.

Mojtaba lacks the senior religious credentials traditionally expected for the role – he holds the rank of hojjatoleslam, several levels below grand ayatollah.

He is simultaneously the most powerful man in Iran and potentially the most vulnerable supreme leader the country has ever had.

Donald Trump has already signalled disapproval and Israel has warned it will target anyone seeking to fill the role.

He takes power during an active war, with bombs falling, oil facilities burning and Iran’s military command structure severely weakened.

Whether he can consolidate authority – religious, political, and personal – over a fractured system remains the central question facing Iran right now.
Read the full story here ➤

ATTACHMENT THIRTY THREE (A and B) – FROM THE SUN, U.K.

DON'S DECISION 

Trump rules out dead Ayatollah’s ‘lightweight’ son as next Iran leader as Don says HE will pick so there’s no more war

Iran paying for 'crimes against US in blood' with regime 'absolutely crushed' by strikes as Tehran terror HQ blitzed

BY Harvey Geh , Foreign News Reporter

Published: 12:09, 5 Mar 2026 Updated: 12:59, 5 Mar 2026

DONALD Trump has ruled out the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son as Iran’s next Supreme Leader – branding him a “lightweight”.

The US president vowed to hand-pick the regime’s new ruler amid mounting speculation that Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, will replace his late father.

Trump told Axios on Thursday he needed to be personally involved in the selection process – the same way he did in Venezuela after the capture of Nicolas Maduro.

President Trump said: “They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela.”

Without his involvement, the US would be back to war with Iran “in five years”, Trump added.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” the US leader said.

It comes after Mojtaba, the late Ayatollah’s son, was tipped to be Iran’s next ruler following the assassination of Khamenei, 86, on Saturday.

Trump also said on Tuesday that most candidates Washington had in mind to replace Khamenei had been killed.

The White House has denied claims that the main objective of the US-Israeli strikes is regime change – instead insisting they are targeting Iranian nuclear capabilities.

Mojtaba was selected as the primary candidate to succeed his dad following two Assembly of Experts meetings in Iran, regime officials told The New York Times.

He is understood to be a hardline conservative cleric who advocated for developing nuclear bombs – and who has strong links to Iran’s brutal Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The late tyrant’s son, who reportedly exercised large amounts of influence while his dad was still in power, has now been put in Israel’s cross hairs.

The Israeli military has vowed to “eliminate” whoever is appointed as the regime’s next ruler.

Mojtaba owns luxury pads in the UK worth more than £100million, including 11 homes in Bishop’s Avenue – nicknamed Billionaire’s Row – according to Bloomberg.

He is believed to control a sprawling investment empire across Tehran, Dubai and Frankfurt – and has reportedly stashed cash away in Swiss bank accounts.

The radical cleric was also reportedly treated for impotency at hospitals in London.

He was once under pressure from his family to produce heirs, according to a classified 2008 briefing sent from the State Department to the US embassy in London.

He reportedly needed four visits hospital, including one final stay which lasted two months – and eventually had a son named after his father Ali.

US intelligence also suggests Mojtaba married late in life in 2004 – reportedly due to the “impotency problem treated and eventually resolved during three extended visits to the UK”.

The former Ayatollah’s son visited Wellington and Cromwell Hospitals in London, the intelligence says.

The report reads: “Mojtaba was expected by his family to produce children quickly, but needed a fourth visit to the UK for medical treatment.

“After a stay of two months, his wife became pregnant. Back in Iran, a healthy boy was born, named Ali for his paternal grandfather.”

It comes after Sir Keir Starmer announced Britain will send four more RAF Typhoon fighter jets to the Middle East as he fought back against criticism over his response to the Iran war.

The PM announced four extra fighters will deploy to Qatar to bolster Britain’s response as the conflict spreads across the region.

It comes after Sir Keir faced fierce criticism for initially blocking Donald Trump from using British bases for bombing runs on Iran.

He later reversed course and allowed the US to launch “limited defensive” missions from Diego Garcia.

Speaking in a press conference on Thursday, Sir Keir insisted his decision not to join the initial US and Israeli strikes was “deliberate” and in the national interest.

Israel is also set to attack Iran’s underground missile tunnel in its second phase of war, sources say.

Iran’s sprawling “missile city” packed with suicide drones and deadly rockets will be hit, in a bid to neutralise Iran’s ability to launch aerial attacks at Israel.

“B”

Iran’s bloodthirsty terror chiefs & exiled rivals battle for power as regime collapses

By Katie Davis

IRAN’S merciless regime is on the brink of collapse – with terror chiefs and rival opposition figures vying for control.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death has thrown the Islamic Republic’s future into turmoil, exposing the first legitimate opening to pivot away from repressive rule in decades.

After wiping out the Ayatollah and dozens of top commanders in Saturday’s mammoth Epic Fury blitz, Donald Trump issued a rallying cry to Iranians to seize the opportunity to topple the regime for good.

“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country,” the US president said.

“Hopefully, the IRGC and police will peacefully merge with the Iranian patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the country to the greatness it deserves.”

Following Khamenei’s death, a shady web of stooges he created in a bid to make his regime “coup-proof” – which The Sun this week revealed – will be stepping up to take the reins.

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has been anointed as an interim leader to pull the strings of terror that Khamenei no longer can.

The mullah, president Masoud Pezeshkian and chief justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i will work to collectively exercise the Supreme Leader’s power until a permanent successor is selected.

Khamenei’s second-eldest son Mojtaba, who effectively served as a “mini-Supreme leader” within his father’s office, was tipped to be his most likely heir.

Despite being a behind-the-scenes figure, Mojtaba, 56, has long been an influential actor in Iran’s ruling mechanism – and has close ties with the IRGC.

Kasra Aarbi, director of IRGC research at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told The Sun Mojtaba will be in the running – providing he’s hasn’t been wiped out.

“We haven’t had the reports yet as to whether he is alive,” Kasra said.

“But there is an invisible power structure there, an invisible state, that is really calling the shots. His sons are part of that.

“It has been designed alongside the IRGC to fill any vacuum and make sure continuity prevails rather than anything that could have a devastating blow to the regime.

“Keep an eye on Ayatollah Alireza Arafi. Keep an eye on his sons.”

The Israeli-US joint air assault in Iran is nearing the end of its first week after opening salvos killed the country’s leaders and set off a regional war.

Israel’s operation has expanded to Lebanon, where massive queues are streaming out of Beirut’s southern suburbs – recognised as Hezbollah strongholds – after an unprecedented evacuation warning.

Tehran has responded with retaliatory attacks across US bases in the Middle East.

A series of security alerts rung out at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus on Thursday, warning locals to take cover just days after the base was blitzed by Iran.

Several European countries have deployed naval assets to the eastern Mediterranean to help protect Cyprus.

ATTACHMENT THIRTY FOUR – FROM NEW YORK POST

AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI’S SON, WHO IS FRONT-RUNNER FOR SUPREME LEADER, WAS TREATED FOR IMPOTENCY, COULDN’T FIND A WIFE

By Alex Oliveira and Emily Crane

Published March 4, 2026 Updated March 4, 2026, 5:11 p.m. ET

320 Comments

THAT’S ONE ROCKET HE WON’T BE LAUNCHING.

The son of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who is reportedly the favorite to succeed his despotic father in power — was treated for “impotency” so severe that he had to be hospitalized numerous times, diplomatic leaks show.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, underwent several stints of treatment at the Wellington and Cromwell Hospitals in London after having a hard time conceiving with his wife, US diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s showed.

The regime hardliner was reportedly so soft that he checked into the clinics at least four times — including a stay that lasted two months before he was finally able to knock up his wife.

“Mojtaba was expected by his family to produce children quickly, but needed a fourth visit to the UK for medical treatment; after a stay of two months, his wife became pregnant,” the diplomatic cable read.

That ordeal also came after Mojtaba went through two “temporary marriages” — allowed under Islamic law so men and women can have non-committal sex in good religious standing — so he could get some practice in the sack.

“His marriage, to the daughter of former Majles Speaker Hadad Adel, followed two ‘temporary marriages’ and occurred relatively late in life, reportedly due to an impotency problem treated and eventually resolved during three extended visits to the UK,” the cable continued, though it remains unclear how many children he ended up siring.

Both his wife and son were reportedly among the 49 people killed alongside his 86-year-old father in a Israeli strike in Tehran on Saturday.

Mojtaba is now poised to take over rule of the country, with numerous reports indicating Iran’s Assembly of Experts — the 88-member council which decides leadership succession — was being pressured by regime hardliners to appoint him to the country’s highest office.

He would bring all his parentage baggage and newfound heartbreak at American hands with him, along with a life of staunch conservatism and accusations of back-room meddling to further his father’s regime.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gives his Friday prayer sermon at Tehran University in this video grab from June 19, 2009.REUTERS

If Mojtaba does get picked, he could soon meet the same fate as his father. Israel said Wednesday that the next leader of Iran’s terror apparatus would become an “unequivocal target for elimination.”

A life of privilege and power

Mojtaba was born in 1969 and was 10 years old when the 1979 Islamic Revolution deposed the nation’s monarchy, then joined the notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in 1987 after finishing high school, according to New York Times.

He spent about a year serving in the military during Iran’s war with Iraq, then went on to study and teach at an Islamic school for Iran’s clerical elite — experiences that helped ingrain Mojtaba in the nation’s religious and security establishments.

·

· US submarine sinks Iranian warship by torpedo in Indian Ocean

· Trump: ‘I have to be involved’ in picking Iran’s next leader — rules out Ali Khamenei son

· Iran claims responsibility for attack on US tanker in Persian Gulf

· Trump backs ‘wonderful’ Kurdish incursion into Iran ‘if they want to do that

ATTACHMENT THIRTY FIVE – FROM NEW YORK POST

Trump calls Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s impotent son a 'lightweight' — as he opposes his reported rise to power in Tehran

Story by Alex Oliveira

He’s pretty soft on the idea.

President Trump is having a hard time picturing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s reportedly impotent son Mojtaba taking over the Iranian regime — insisting the 56-year-old who was hospitalized four times for problems in the sack is a “lightweight.”

“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight,” Trump told Axios Thursday, as reports swirled that Mojtaba was likely to be tapped Tehran’s next supreme leader.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”

Word of Mojtaba’s likely ascent to his slain father’s throne, emerging from opposition outlets in Iran but not yet confirmed through state media or official channels, has thrust some not-so-flattering details about his love life into the open — namely that he was unable to perform with his wife following their marriage, unearthed US diplomatic cables showed.

The regime hardliner’s intimacy problems were reportedly so severe that he had to be hospitalized for impotency treatment on four separate occasions at a series of London clinics — with his last stint stretching for two months before he was finally able to do what was “expected” with his wife, cables show.

“Mojtaba was expected by his family to produce children quickly, but needed a fourth visit to the UK for medical treatment; after a stay of two months, his wife became pregnant,” the WikiLeaks-published cable read.

He even engaged in two “temporary marriages” — permitted under Iran’s Islamic law that allows people to engage in sex out of wedlock and still maintain proper religious standing — where he had ample time to practice his stroke before getting officially shacked up.

Mojtaba eventually did manage to have a child with his wife — but his family was killed in Saturday’s US-Israeli strike on Tehran that also eliminated his father and more than 40 of Iran’s top officials.

The Islamic Republic has been scrambling to fill the power void ever since, with Mojtaba reportedly leading the pack as regime hardliners push to install him as the next supreme leader — in what could be an attempt to show the West that the oppressive government is determined to continue with business as usual.

But Trump has insisted nobody will take over Iran unless he’s consulted first.

“I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,” he told Axios, referring to Venezuela’s new president after dictator Nicolas Maduro was captured by the US troops in January.

ATTACHMENT THIRTY SIX – FROM TIME

MOJTABA KHAMENEI, IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER, HAS WIELDED POWER BEHIND THE SCENES FOR YEARS

By Kay Armin Serjoie

Mar 8, 2026 8:48 PM ET

For the second time, Iran's theocratic rulers have chosen a Khamenei as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, naming Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei to succeed his father, who was killed in Israeli airstrikes on Feb. 28.

Khamenei, 56, is the second son of Ali Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic for 36 of its 47 years after succeeding its first leader, Ruhollah Khomeini. Mojtaba’s wife and, reportedly, one of his children, were also killed on the first day of the joint U.S.-Israeli war. He has not previously held any official position, but had a reputation both as a powerful figure behind the scenes, and for manoeuvring for years to succeed his father in a position that wields power almost unbound by any checks or balances.

“From more than 20 years ago when rumors began that Mojtaba has ambitions to replace his father one day, I have watched with horror as the requisite pieces for what can only be described as a hereditary succession fell in place year after year,” said one political activist, who declined to be named out of fear of retribution.

Read more: Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader Who Built a De Facto Military Dictatorship, Killed in U.S.-Israeli Strikes

The move doubled as an act of defiance against Iran’s attackers, who are evidently intent on regime change. On March 3, Israel bombed the building where the 88 clerics known as the Assembly of Experts would meet to choose a successor. And President Donald Trump, after calling the elder Khamenei “one of the most evil people in history,” had already called the younger Khamenei “unacceptable.”

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News on Sunday, hours after news of the selection emerged. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long. We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a president like me that’s not going to do it.”

The selection was announced by SMS to Iranians, among whom Mojtaba Khamenei has long had a reputation for skullduggery and power plays.

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When Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, then the relatively unknown mayor of Tehran, was propelled to the presidency in 2005, Mojtaba Khamenei was thought to have orchestrated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij paramilitary’s support for his candidacy. 

As the years passed, behind the serene facade of studying and teaching at the seminary in the religious city of Qom, more claims and rumors narrated the ever-increasing influence and power wielded by Mojtaba. The common thread was that younger Khamenei enjoyed the same close support that his father had maintained with the Revolutionary Guards, whose sources of both economic, political and military power have all been put in danger by the massive U.S. and Israeli airstrikes of the past week. 

On Sunday, the IRGC issued a statement pledging "deep respect, total loyalty and absolute obedience." 

“The Guards aren’t just fighting for proxy groups or missiles, they are fighting for their very existence,” said another analyst based in Tehran, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The cartel they had created—an octopus that had tentacles in almost every vestige of the Iranian society, from economy, to media, to religion—has constrained all the other many actors and factions with the Islamic Republic.”

“Many of these factions are almost openly calling for the limiting and even disbanding of the Guards. Should anybody from any of these factions become the new leader, the days of the Guards will be numbered,” he added.

The attacks on Iran may have paved the way for Mojtaba’s rise, but they leave little room for him to change the country’s course. The war has instead solidified the country’s “revolutionary” ideology, which casts Iran as the global challenger to Western hegemony, and given the new leader a personal reason for hostility to the U.S.

“If before there was even the slightest of chances that Mojtaba Khamenei might take the country down a path of major reforms, such as those initiated by the Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman, which would include détente with America, it’s now impossible,” the analyst said. “Mojtaba didn’t lose just a father on that day, he lost a mother, a wife and a child. He is filled with an undying desire for revenge, and the Guards know this.”

Trump’s opposition to Khamenei's son may even have helped his ascendancy.

“While it was always highly probable that Khamenei’s son would replace him, there had been mounting efforts by other factions to sway the vote of the 88 members of the Experts Assembly in recent months,” the activist said. “But when Trump, as enemy number one of the regime, said he would not accept Mojtaba Khamenei, it became almost a certainty that he would be elected. Anyone who opposed him could be easily accused of being in America’s camp.”

Concern that the new leader may be targeted may also explain the stuttered timing of the announcement, five days after it was first tipped. The delay allowed the announcement to coincide with a day of particular religious importance in the Shiite calendar, but also to make sure he is safeguarded from attacks the United States and Israel are bound to conduct against him.

“Ensuring the security of the new leader is even more important than how he was selected,” said Ali Gholhaki, a hardline columnist known for his close ties to the security establishment, in a post on social media.

ATTACHMENT THIRTY SEVEN – FROM JERUSALEM POST

MOJTABA KHAMENEI INJURED BUT STILL FUNCTIONING AS IRAN’S LEADER, SOURCE SAYS

Critics of the regime say the lack of public appearances raises questions about who is actually directing Iran’s government.

A source familiar with the matter told The Jerusalem Post that the assessments are that although Mojtaba Khamenei was injured during the war he remains capable of carrying out his duties and managing state affairs as Iran's new supreme leader. 

Iranian state television reported on Monday that Mojtaba had been wounded, though the broadcast did not provide details about the circumstances of the injury or its severity. The report also did not indicate when the injury occurred or whether it affected his day-to-day responsibilities.

Despite earlier assurances from Iranian officials and state media, no photograph or video of the newly installed supreme leader has yet been released, fueling speculation among observers and opposition groups.

MOJTABA'S LACK OF APPEARANCES RAISES QUESTIONS

Critics of the regime say the lack of public appearances raises questions about who is actually directing Iran’s government. Figures within the Iranian opposition claim that another senior figure within the regime may be exercising real authority, while Mojtaba serves primarily as a symbolic or representative leader.

Mojtaba is the son of Iran’s longtime supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and has long been considered one of the most influential figures behind the scenes in Iranian politics. Although he held no formal government position for years, analysts have widely believed that he wielded significant influence within Iran’s political and security establishment.

ATTACHMENT THIRTY EIGHT – FROM THE A.P.

1 of 11 |  

Iran launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf countries Monday, hours after Iranian state TV said Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had been named as his father’s successor. Meanwhile oil prices skyrocketed Monday, and Asian markets tumbled. AP’s Luke Garratt explains more.

2 of 11 |  

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late supreme leader, has been named his successor, Iranian state TV announced early Monday. State TV read a statement saying he was selected based on “strong” votes and showed people celebrating in public areas of Tehran.

3 of 11 |  

Iranian state TV on Sunday announced that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late supreme leader, had been named his successor. He had long been considered a contender, even before an Israeli strike killed his father at the start of the war, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.

4 of 11 |  

A cloud of black smoke covered parts of Tehran on Sunday morning following the overnight strikes that hit an oil depot and refinery. The Israeli attack appeared to be the first time a civil industrial facility has been targeted in the war. (AP video by Mohsen Ganji)

5 of 11 |  

Iran’s president has threatened to step up attacks on American targets throughout the Middle East as the U.S. and Israel press ahead with their air campaign. Masoud Pezeshkian appeared to be backtracking from conciliatory comments he made toward his Gulf neighbors on Saturday, in which he appeared to apologize for attacks on their soil, were quickly contradicted by Iranian hard-liners.

Read More

6 of 11 |  

Iran says that overnight strikes hit four oil storage tankers and a petroleum transfer terminal, killing four people. Much of the city of Tehran has been impacted by the smoke billowing from the refineries as US-Israeli aerial bombardment campaign continues. (AP video shot by Mohsen Ganji)

7 of 11 |  

This image taken from video provided by Iran state TV shows Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s slain supreme leader, who has been named as the Islamic Republic’s next ruler, authorities announced Monday, March 9, 2026. (Iran state TV via AP)

8 of 11 |  

Two women from the Iranian Red Crescent Society stand as a thick plume of smoke from a U.S.-Israeli strike on an oil storage facility late Saturday rises in the sky in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

9 of 11 |  

Residents look on and take pictures as flames and smoke rise from an oil storage facility struck as attacks hit the city during the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (Alireza Sotakbar/ISNA via AP)

10 of 11 |  

A man carries shoes from his destroyed house that was hit by Israeli airstrikes hit several houses in Sir al-Gharbiyeh village south Lebanon, Sunday, March, 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

11 of 11 |  

This satellite image provided by Vantor shows damage to buildings after airstrikes at a military garrison, in Isfahan, Iran, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Satellite image ©2026 Vantor via AP)

By JON GAMBRELL, SAM METZ, KAREEM CHEHAYEB and SAMY MAGDY

Updated 10:41 PM EDT, March 8, 2026

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s late supreme leader, has been named as the Islamic Republic’s next ruler, authorities announced Monday, as Tehran widened its attacks across the Mideast to strike oil and water facilities crucial to its desert sheikdoms.

With Iran’s theocracy under assault by the U.S. and Israel for more than a week, the country’s Assembly of Experts chose as the next supreme leader a secretive, 56-year-old cleric who maintains close ties to the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The Guard has been firing missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states since the younger Khamenei’s father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed Feb. 28 during the war’s opening salvo.

The war has shaken global energy markets, pushing oil prices above $100 a barrel and leading to tighter supplies of natural gas after Qatar turned off its production.

The younger Khamenei, who had not been seen or heard from publicly since the war started, had long been considered a contender for the post. That was even before the Israeli strike killed his father, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.

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There appeared to be some dissension over his selection. Political figures within Iran criticized the idea of handing over the supreme leader’s title based on heredity and thereby creating a clerical version of the rule of the shah, who was toppled during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But top clerics in the Assembly of Experts likely wanted Khamenei to prosecute the war.

Khamenei, who is believed to hold views that are even more hard-line than his late father, now will be in charge of Iran’s armed forces and any decision regarding Tehran’s nuclear program.

While the country’s key nuclear sites are in tatters after the United States bombed them during the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June, there’s still highly enriched uranium in Iran that’s a technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Khamenei could choose to do what his father never did — pursue the bomb.

Israel has already described him as a potential target, while U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the idea of Khamenei taking power.

“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me,” Trump has said. “We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump told ABC News on Sunday he wants a say in who comes to power once the war is over; a new leader “is not going to last long” without his approval.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued a statement expressing support, as did the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Top Iranian security official Ali Larijani, speaking to Iranian state television, praised the Assembly of Experts for “courageously” convening even as airstrikes continued in Tehran. He said the younger Khamenei had been trained by his father and “can handle this situation.”

REGIONAL ANGER GROWS AND OIL RISES ABOVE $100 A BARREL

Oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight Israeli strikes.

In a sign of rising regional anger, the Arab League chief lashed out at Iran for its “reckless policy” of attacking neighbors, including ones that host U.S. forces.

The U.S. military said a service member died of injuries from an Iranian attack on troops in Saudi Arabia on March 1. Seven U.S. soldiers have now been killed.

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said Monday it intercepted a drone attacking the country’s massive Shaybah oil field. The kingdom followed the alleged drone attack with sharper warnings to Iran that it would be the “biggest loser” if it continued to attack Arab states.

It dismissed comments by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday that Iran had halted its attacks on Gulf Arab states.

“The kingdom affirms that the Iranian side has not implemented this statement in practice, neither during the Iranian president’s speech nor afterward,” Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Iran has continued its aggression based on flimsy pretexts devoid of any factual basis.”

It added the Iranian attacks mean “further escalation which will have grave impact on the relations, currently and in the future.”

Two U.S. officials say the State Department will order nonessential personnel and families of all staff to leave Saudi Arabia as Iran escalates its attacks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. Eight other U.S. diplomatic missions have ordered all but key staff to leave: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.

The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 397 in Lebanon and at least 11 in Israel, according to officials. Israel reported its first soldier deaths Sunday, saying two were killed in southern Lebanon, where its military is fighting Hezbollah.

DESALINATION AND OIL FACILITIES ATTACKED

Bahrain accused Iran of indiscriminately attacking civilian targets and damaging one of its desalination plants, though its electricity and water authority said supplies remained online.

Desalination plants supply water to millions of residents in the region and thousands of stranded travelers, raising new fears of catastrophic risks in parched desert nations.

The strike came after Iran claimed a U.S. airstrike damaged a desalination plant there. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strike on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz had cut into the water supply to 30 villages.

He warned that in doing so “the U.S. set this precedent, not Iran.”

In response, U.S. Central Command spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said that “U.S. forces do not target civilians – period.”

The Iranian Red Crescent Society warned Tehran residents to take precautions against toxic air pollution and the risk of acid rain from the oil depot attack. It also said about 10,000 civilian structures across the country had been damaged, including homes, schools and almost three dozen health facilities.

LEBANON SAYS A HALF-MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED

Lebanon said over a half-million people have been displaced in the week of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

The actual number is likely higher. Lebanon’s count of 517,000 refers to those who registered on the government’s online portal. Israel over the past week has called on residents in dozens of villages across southern Lebanon and the entirety of Beirut’s southern suburbs to evacuate.

In Beirut, sheltering families crammed into schools, slept in cars or in open areas near the Mediterranean Sea, where some burned firewood to keep warm.

Israel’s renewed offensive began last week after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel during the Iran war’s opening days.

___

Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank, Chehayeb from Beirut and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press journalists Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel; Matthew Lee in Washington; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; and Aamer Madhani in Doral, Florida, contributed reporting.

JON GAMBRELL

Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006.

SAM METZ

Metz covers Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and points beyond for The Associated Press.

KAREEM CHEHAYEB

Chehayeb is an Associated Press reporter in Beirut.

SAMY MAGDY

Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses.

PEANUT GALLERY

St

Stormyweathers777 2 hrs ago

I'm not convinced that this attack against Iran was a great idea. I'm inclined to believe the opposite, but I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt because 60% uranium has precisely one purpose, being one step away from a nuclear weapon. It's not good for anything else, so any claim that they were not weaponizing is either ignorance or dishonesty. Saudi Arabia and Iran are not friends. That's not news. Those two nations have been basically cold war enemies in the Middle East for a while now. Now, if Saudi Arabia joins the US militarily ... that would be news, but I'm not holding my breath. Hezbollah in Lebanon is on borrowed time because they are now caught between the Lebanese government and the Israeli military, and that is not a place I would want to be. Add to that the fact that Iran will soon run out of missiles and money, and maybe ... just maybe something productive will come out of this conflict. In summary, I think Trump is wrong about Iran ... but I hope I am.

1. Comment by roge160.

roge160 4 hrs ago

No new supreme leader. The people of Iran should have total say who leads the country.

They need to have a vote by the people . So CIA do your job find this new dictator and take him out.

ATTACHMENT THIRTY NINE – FROM AL JAZEERA

IRAN NAMES MOJTABA KHAMENEI AS NEW SUPREME LEADER AFTER FATHER’S KILLING

The son of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will now be charged with leading Islamic Republic through the biggest crisis in its 47-year history.

By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 8 Mar 2026

Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader, about a week after the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint United States-Israeli strikes that have plunged the entire region into a sprawling war.

The Assembly of Experts named the 56-year-old, who will now be charged with leading the Islamic Republic through the biggest crisis in its 47-year history, as his father’s successor on Sunday.

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Key political leaders, the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the armed forces were quick to pledge their backing to the new leader.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said the appointment heralded a “new era of dignity and strength” for the nation. “This valuable choice is a manifestation of the will of the Islamic nation to consolidate national unity; a unity that, like a solid barrier, has made the Iranian nation resistant to the conspiracies of the enemies,” he said.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also congratulated the new leader. “We pledge that, in defence of the rights of the great Iranian nation, the advancement of national interests and security, and the realisation of the lofty goals of the Islamic revolution, we shall not falter for a moment,” he wrote.

Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, who has been tasked with steering Iran’s security strategy since the US and Israel launched their all-out offensive on February 28, called for unity around the new supreme leader.

The head of Iran’s powerful Expediency Council, Sadiq Larijani, also joined the chorus of political leaders expressing support for the appointment, saying it reaffirmed the need to continue in the “luminous” path of Iran’s first supreme leader, Ruhollah Khomeini.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf welcomed the choice, saying that following the new supreme leader was a “religious and national duty”, while a statement from the defence council said, “We will obey the commander-in-chief until the last drop of our blood.”

Mojtaba Khamenei has never run for office or been subjected to a public vote, but has long been a highly influential figure in the inner circle of the supreme leader, cultivating deep ties to the IRGC.

In recent years, Khamenei had increasingly been touted as a potential replacement for his father, who had been in power since 1989. His selection could be a sign that more hardline factions in Iran’s establishment retain power, and could indicate that the government has little desire to agree to a deal or negotiations in the short term as the war enters its second week.

Rami Khouri, a distinguished public policy fellow at the American University of Beirut, said Khamenei’s appointment signals “continuity”, adding that it remains to be seen whether the new supreme leader will push for negotiations to end the war.

Either way, he said, the appointment was “an act of defiance”. Iran is “telling the Americans and Israelis, ‘You wanted to get rid of our system? Well … this is a more radical person than his father, who was assassinated,'” he said.

Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem, who has reported extensively on Iranian affairs, described Khamenei as his “father’s gatekeeper”.

“He adopts the positions of his father with respect to the United States, with respect to Israel. So we are expecting a confrontational leader. We’re not expecting any moderation,” he said.

“However, if this war comes to an end and he is still alive, and he is able to continue running the country, there is going to be big potential … to find new routes for Iran,” Hashem said.

IRGC warns of energy war after US-Israeli strikes on Iranian assets

The selection of Khamenei’s son is certain to enrage US President Donald Trump, who had previously rejected him as a candidate. The Times of Israel on Monday reported that Trump refused to comment on the Iranian appointment during an interview, only saying: “We’ll see what happens.”

The ⁠Israeli ⁠military has already threatened to kill any replacement for Khamenei, while Trump said the war may only end once Iran’s military and leaders have been wiped out.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News on Sunday, of any new supreme leader. “If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,” Trump said.

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Israel, said the new supreme leader was “not the change we’re looking for”. “I believe it’s just a matter of time before he meets the same fate as that of his father,” the Republican lawmaker from South Carolina said on X.

By contrast, Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged “unwavering” support for Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment and China said it opposed any targeting of the new Supreme Leader.

Supreme leader not decided by ‘Epstein’s gang’

The 88-member Assembly of Experts said on Sunday that it “did not hesitate for a minute” in choosing a new supreme leader, despite “the brutal aggression of the criminal America and the evil Zionist regime”.

Heidari Alekasir, a member of the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body that was tasked with choosing the supreme leader, said the candidate had been picked based on the late Khamenei’s advice that Iran’s top leader should “be hated by the enemy” instead of being praised by it.

“Even the Great Satan [US] has mentioned his name,” the senior scholar said in reference to Trump’s earlier statement that Mojtaba Khamenei would be an “unacceptable” choice for him to lead Iran.

Iranian officials had rejected Trump’s push to be involved in the selection of the next leader, insisting that only Iranians can decide the future of their country.

On Friday, Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker, appeared to ridicule the US president’s demands.

“The fate of dear Iran, which is more precious than life, will be determined solely by the proud Iranian nation, not by [Jeffrey] Epstein’s gang,” he wrote on X, referring to the late sex offender who had ties to rich and powerful figures in the US.

Ali Khamenei, who led Iran for 37 years, succeeding Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had led the 1979 Islamic revolution, was killed in a US-Israeli strike on Tehran at the outset of the war, which has now unleashed chaos in many countries across the region.

Besides killing Ali Khamenei and several top officials, the US and Israel have been striking Iranian ships and military installations. Iranian officials have also reported many attacks by the US and Israel on civilian targets, including schools and hospitals, across the country.

Iran has retaliated by attacking Israel and US assets in the region. It has also been accused of launching missiles and drones at civilian targets in the Gulf region, including energy installations, hotels and airports.

As the Shia scholars selected the new supreme leader, a dark haze hung over Tehran after Israel struck five oil facilities in and around the capital overnight, setting them ablaze and filling the skies with acrid smoke.

Meanwhile, the IRGC has said it has enough supplies to continue its drone and missile attacks across the region for up to six months.

IRGC spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini said Iran had so far used only first- and second-generation missiles, but it would use “advanced and less-used long-range missiles” in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Trump again refused to rule out sending US ground troops into Iran, but continued to insist that the war was all but won, despite the ongoing Iranian missile and drone strikes.

Analysts warn there is no clear path to ending the conflict, which US and Israeli officials say could last a month or longer.

ATTACHMENT FORTY – FROM NPR

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT MOJTABA KHAMENEI, IRAN'S NEW SUPREME LEADER

By Rachel Treisman March 9, 2026 2:11 PM ET

Iran's killed supreme leader will be replaced by one of his sons, Mojtaba Khamenei, a mid-ranking cleric who has until now wielded his power exclusively behind the scenes.

Iran's Assembly of Experts — the clerical body tasked with selecting the country's supreme leader — said on Sunday that a majority of its members voted to appoint Khamenei as the Islamic Republic's third supreme leader since its founding in 1979.

Middle East conflict

Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader

The announcement appeared in state media just over a week after the former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli attack. His nearly four-decade rule was marked by staunch opposition to both countries as well as any efforts to reform or modernize Iran. Questions loom about Iran's future as it responds with continued strikes on Israel and Gulf states.

The younger Khamenei's appointment answers some of those questions. The 56-year-old has close ties to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), signaling a continuation of his father's hard-line theocratic rule.

"[Of] all the candidates that were put out there, he was the one that was closest to the IRGC. He was also very well-connected in his father's own office," Iran specialist Afshon Ostovar told NPR last week, as Khamenei emerged as one of the most likely successors. Ostovar said his selection would mean "the regime wants to preserve as much of the status quo as possible."

Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is killed in Israeli strike, ending 36-year iron rule

But Khamenei is also a relative mystery. He has never held a formal position in government. And he rarely speaks or appears in public, save for occasional loyalist rallies.

"He's kind of an unknown quantity," Ostovar said. "He's sort of a guy who you see in pictures, in meetings, that sort of thing, kind of in the background."

But he has long been accused — including by analysts, Iranian dissidents and the U.S. government — of amassing power and pulling strings from within his father's inner circle. Here's what to know about Khamenei as he moves into the foreground.

THE SECOND SON OF THE SUPREME LEADER

Khamenei is the second of the late leader's six children. He was born in 1969 and grew up in the holy Shia Muslim city of Mashhad, in northeastern Iran, as his father was emerging as a leading anti-monarchy revolutionary figure.

After the 1979 revolution, the family moved to Tehran, and the elder Khamenei took up key positions in the new government, from deputy defense minister to president and finally to supreme leader in 1989.

Meanwhile, his son graduated from the elite Alavi High School before joining the Revolutionary Guard. The younger Khamenei served in the armed forces during the final years of the Iran-Iraq War (which ended in 1988), forming relationships with future key players in the Iranian security services.

7 KEY POINTS IN U.S.-IRAN RELATIONS SINCE 1953

Khamenei went on to pursue theology, a path that led him to the holy city of Qom to study under — and build relationships with — ultra-conservative religious clerics. He holds the clerical rank of "hujjat al-Islam," which ranks below the senior rank of "ayatollah" (which his own father only attained after being selected as supreme leader).

Khamenei further cemented his political connections with his marriage to Zahra Haddad Adel, the daughter of a prominent hardliner: Gholam-Ali Hadad-Adel, a former parliament speaker who is considered a close member of the late supreme leader's inner circle. Iranian state media have reported that the younger Khamenei's wife — as well as his mother, sister and brother-in-law — were killed in the Feb. 28 strike that killed his father.

ALLEGED BEHIND-THE-SCENES INFLUENCE 

The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Mojtaba Khamenei — and his father-in-law — under the first Trump administration in 2019, for what it said was "representing the Supreme Leader in an official capacity despite never being elected or appointed to a government position aside from work in the office of his father."

The U.S. said the supreme leader had "delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities to his son."

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Specifically, it said the younger Khamenei worked closely with the commander of the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij Resistance Force (a volunteer paramilitary organization focused on domestic security and suppressing political dissent) "to advance his father's destabilizing regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives."

That wasn't the only time Mojtaba Khamenei was accused of quietly influencing Iranian affairs, including multiple presidential elections.

He is believed to be behind the sudden rise of hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005 and his reelection in the disputed election of 2009, which resulted in massive anti-government protests suppressed by security forces, including the Basij. One of the chants of pro-reform protesters was: "Wish you death Mojtaba, so you would never be the next leader!"

Former parliamentary speaker Mehdi Karroubi, who ran in both of those elections, wrote letters to the supreme leader in 2005 and 2009 accusing "the master's son" of interference. The supreme leader took issue with that characterization, calling Khamenei "a master himself, not a master's son." Karroubi was placed under house arrest in 2011 for his role in protests over the election results and held for over 14 years without a trial or charges.

AN UNSURPRISING BUT CONTROVERSIAL PICK

Khamenei's selection is already controversial: The Israeli military warned on social media that he was a target before he was even chosen, while President Trump — who wants to be involved in choosing Iran's new leader — called him "unacceptable."

"They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight," Trump told Axios last week, before a decision was announced.

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Iran's defiant choice suggests the road to resolution in this conflict could be long. Crude oil markets reacted accordingly on Sunday, rocketing past $100 for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Khamenei's selection could be unpopular at home, given that Iranians had taken to the streets to protest economic conditions and call for regime change — prompting a deadly government crackdown — well before the current outbreak of fighting. It also bears a resemblance to a hereditary monarchy, the very system of government that revolutionaries overthrew in 1979.

ATTACHMENT FORTY ONE – FROM BBC

WHO IS MOJTABA KHAMENEI, IRAN'S NEW SUPREME LEADER?

The 56-year-old is expected to continue the hardline rule of his father

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes, has been chosen as his successor.

Unlike his father, the 56-year-old has largely kept a low profile. He has never held government office, nor given public speeches or interviews, and only a limited number of photos and videos of him have ever been published.

But for years there have been rumours that he held considerable influence behind the scenes in Iran.

US diplomatic cables, which were published by WikiLeaks in the late 2000s, described him as "the power behind the robes" (robot??) who was widely regarded as a "capable and forceful" figure within the regime, according to news agency AP.

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Yet his selection could still prove controversial. The Islamic Republic was founded in 1979 after the monarchy was overthrown and its ideology is based on the principle that the supreme leader should be chosen for his religious standing and proven leadership, not through hereditary succession.

During his reign, Ali Khamenei spoke only in general terms about the future leadership of the Islamic Republic.

One member of Iran's Assembly of Experts - the clerical body that selects the supreme leader - said two years ago that Ali Khamenei opposed the idea of his son being a candidate for future leadership. But he had never publicly addressed such speculation.

MOJTABA KHAMENEI HAS BEEN TIPPED AS THE NEXT LEADER FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES

So, who is Mojtaba Khamenei?

Born on 8 September 1969 in the north-eastern city of Mashhad, Mojtaba is the second of Ali Khamenei's six children. He received his secondary education at the religious Alavi School in Tehran.

At 17, Mojtaba served in the military for several short periods during the Iran-Iraq War, according to Iranian media. The eight-year bloody conflict made the regime even more suspicious of the US and the West, which supported Iraq.

In 1999, Mojtaba went to Qom, a holy city which is considered an important centre of Shia theology, to continue his religious studies. It is notable that he did not wear clerical clothing until this time, and it is unclear why he decided to attend a seminary at 30, as it is more usual to do so in one's younger years.

Mojtaba remains a mid-ranking cleric, which could pose an obstacle to his acceptance as the new supreme leader.

Before he was selected, some media outlets and officials close to centres of power in Iran began referring to Mojtaba Khamenei as "Ayatollah", a senior clerical title. The shift appeared to some observers as an attempt to elevate his religious standing and present him as a credible leader.

In the seminary system, holding the rank of "Ayatollah" and teaching advanced classes are regarded as indicators of a person's scholarly level and knowledge, and are considered one of the requirements and prerequisites for a future leader.

But there is already precedent for this. His father, Ali Khamenei, was quickly promoted to "Ayatollah" after he became Iran's second supreme leader in 1989.

ACCUSATIONS OF POLITICAL INTERFERENCE

Mojtaba's name first entered the public spotlight during the 2005 presidential election, which resulted in the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a populist hardliner.

In an open letter to Khamenei, reformist candidate Mehdi Karroubi accused Mojtaba of interfering in the vote through elements of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij militia, which distributed money to religious groups in order to help Ahmadinejad win.

Four years later, Mojtaba faced the same accusation again. The re-election of Ahmadinejad triggered mass protests across the country, known as the Green Movement. Some protesters chanted slogans opposing the idea that Mojtaba could succeed his father as Iran's supreme leader.

PROTESTS KNOWN AS THE GREEN MOVEMENT ENSUED AFTER THE 2009 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Mostafa Tajzadeh, the then-deputy interior minister, described the result as an "electoral coup". He was imprisoned for seven years, which he attributed to "the direct wish of Mojtaba Khamenei".

Two reformist candidates, Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, were put under house arrest after the 2009 election. In February 2012, Mojtaba met and urged Mousavi to give up his protest, Iranian sources told BBC Persian.

Now, as Iran's freshly chosen supreme leader, many expect Mojtaba to continue his father's hardline policies.

Some also believe that a man who has lost his father, his mother and his wife in US-Israeli strikes will be unlikely to bow to Western pressure.

But he also faces the daunting task of ensuring the survival of the Islamic Republic and convincing the public that he is the right person to lead the country out of political and economic devastation.

His leadership record remains largely untested, and the perception that the republic is turning into a hereditary system could further deepen public discontent.

Mojtaba is now a marked man. Israel's defence minister said last week that whoever was chosen as Ali Khamenei's successor would be "an unequivocal target for elimination".

ATTACHMENT FORTY TWO – FROM JERUSALEM POST

PAHLAVI: IRAN IS 'NOT IRAQ,' NATION WILL HOLD FREE ELECTIONS, ESTABLISH TIES WITH ISRAEL

Pahlavi expressed immense gratitude to US President Donald Trump for his role in the operation and for his words of encouragement to Iran's citizens. MARCH 1, 2026 05:11

Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi published an op-ed in the Washington Post in the early hours of Sunday morning, responding to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and outlining his plan for a democratic Iran. 

Pahlavi addressed fears of the US establishing an extended, resource-draining military presence in Iran as it did in Iraq in the early 2000s following the assassination of Saddam Hussein.

The crown prince explicitly assured Washington Post readers that "Iran is not Iraq. We will not repeat the mistakes that followed that conflict."

ATTACHMENT FORTY THREE – FROM REAL CLEAR POLITICS

PAHLAVI SAYS ISLAMIC REPUBLIC IS CRUMBLING, ASKS ARAB STATES TO "PREPARE TO RECOGNIZE AND ENGAGE OUR TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT"

March 6, 2026

Top of Form

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the last Shah of Iran and Maryland man, said in a video posted Friday that "the pillars of the Islamic Republic regime’s aggression are crumbling" and called on Iran's Arab neighbors to prepare to recognize him as the leader of a transitional government.

"The regime itself is breaking," he said. "The Iranian people have called on me to lead the transition after the regime is gone. I have accepted that responsibility. Part of their great mandate to me is to return our nation and our foreign relations to normalcy. I will do exactly that.”

"My commitment is to ensure the transition is orderly, the country is stabilized, and Iranians determine their future through the ballot box," he said. "We will not repeat the mistakes of past transitions. We will avoid de-Baathification scenarios and maintain as many bureaucrats and public servants in the transition as possible.

"Iranians have made their choice — at an enormous price. Now I ask our friends in the Arab world to join us. To prepare to recognize and engage our transitional government," Pahlavi said.

REZA PAHLAVI: The Islamic Republic has launched missiles at the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. It is targeting our Arab neighbors.

These violations of their sovereignty are unacceptable and we condemn them. But this is nothing new.

This is who the Islamic Republic has always been. And this is why it must end.

For nearly five decades, this terrorist regime has sown chaos and bloodshed across our region.

It propped up Assad, turning Syria into a graveyard.

It planted Hezbollah; as a state within a state in Lebanon.

It armed the Houthis to destabilize the Arabian Peninsula.

It empowered militias in Iraq that undermine Iraqi sovereignty.

It attacked the economic hubs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

None of this has ever been the desire of the Iranian people, but rather that of the regime occupying our country. Now, however, the landscape has fundamentally shifted.

Assad is gone. Hezbollah has been decimated. The regime’s military nuclear program has been set back. Its economy is in freefall.

The pillars of this regime’s aggression are crumbling.

The Iranian people have paid the price, in blood, to reach this moment. The regime massacred at least tens of thousands of my compatriots in just two days. But it didn’t break the people. Instead, the regime itself is breaking.

Today, history reminds us of our future potential.

Before the revolution, Iran worked closely with Arab leaders — from King Faisal to Sheikh Zayed to King Hussein to President Sadat.

In Oman, my father helped Sultan Qaboos defend his country against insurgency.

We were true partners then. We will be true partners again.

The Iranian people have called on me to lead the transition after the regime is gone. I have accepted that responsibility. Part of their great mandate to me is to return our nation and our foreign relations to normalcy. I will do exactly that.

My commitment is to ensure the transition is orderly, the country is stabilized, and Iranians determine their future through the ballot box. We will not repeat the mistakes of past transitions. We will avoid de-Baathification scenarios and maintain as many bureaucrats and public servants in the transition as possible.

Iranians have made their choice — at an enormous price. Now I ask our friends in the Arab world to join us. To prepare to recognize and engage our transitional government.

We will rebuild our nation not for expansion, but to serve the Iranian people. We will base our diplomatic relations, not on exportation of ideology, but on mutual respect and shared interests. We will reintegrate into the regional and global economy to increase prosperity for the citizens of all of our nations.

Standing with the Iranian people is not charity. It is a strategic investment in making our region one of the most stable, secure, and prosperous in the world.

Together, we can build a Middle East our children will be proud to inherit.

Take this new path with us.

ATTACHMENT FORTY FOUR – FROM THE TIMES U.K.

REZA PAHLAVI TELLS TRUMP: DON’T TREAT IRAN LIKE VENEZUELA

Reza Pahlavi has lived in relative comfort in France and the United States since his father was deposed in 1979

By David Charter Friday March 06 2026, 9.30am GMT, The Times

The team of Reza Pahlavi, the shah’s son, have urged President Trump to abandon his view of Venezuela as a model for Iran in an interview with The Times.

Pahlavi, 65, has had a difficult week in his quest to lead a transitional government in Iran after being referred to dismissively by Trump and caught out by a prank TV interview.

He has been stung by Trump’s references to the US military action to capture Nicolás Maduro and replace him with his deputy as a model for Iran, as this left most of the old regime in place.

Pahlavi’s team, based in Paris, called the Venezuela option a “lose-lose” for the US, and claimed it was impossible for a new leader to emerge within the country, as Trump said he would prefer. They spoke out after Trump told The New York Times that “what we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect, the perfect scenario”.

Pahlavi has been promoting the “Iran Prosperity Project”, a transition plan including a referendum on the new system of government, followed by the election of a constituent assembly and ratification of a constitution over two to three years.

There has been criticism from other Iranian dissident factions for the powerful role envisaged for “the leader of the national uprising” — Pahlavi himself — who will appoint a national uprising council and temporary executive team. Pahlavi said he wanted to promote democracy but his critics were suspicious that a “parliamentary monarchy” was one of the potential choices envisaged for the referendum.

Saeed Ghasseminejad, the director of the Iran Prosperity Project and a member of Pahlavi’s inner circle, said: “President Trump looks at the Venezuela model and obviously, for any stakeholder that wants to avoid chaos, you would prefer someone who is inside the regime and can control the security forces. They found someone like that in Venezuela. But the situation in Iran is quite different.

“First, Venezuela is a leftist dictatorship. This [Iran] is an apocalyptic regime. They believe their task is to lay the groundwork for the reappearance of the ‘Hidden Imam’ who will initiate the end-of-time battle. So it’s very difficult to imagine that they will decide to be ‘normal dictators’ from now on and are not going to do anything outside the country. That’s not in their DNA.”

He said a second reason why Iran and Venezuela were very different was that “in Iran, they just killed more than 40,000 people. So it would be immensely difficult to decapitate [the regime], and then put someone else in and tell the people, you need to accept this person. You can do it, but the people won’t accept it.”

A third difference was that Pahlavi was available as a leader and would continue to urge people to protest, he said, which in turn would trigger a cycle of more repression and probably more US intervention.

Trump was asked in the Oval Office on Tuesday whether he saw Pahlavi, who has lived in comfortable exile in France and the US since his father was deposed in 1979, as an option for the next leader of Iran. Trump said: “I guess he is. Some people like him and we haven’t been thinking too much about that. It would seem to me that somebody from within maybe would be more appropriate. I’ve said that he looks like a very nice person. But it would seem to me that somebody that’s there that’s currently popular, if there’s such a person.”

Trump similarly called María Corina Machado, the exiled leader of the Venezuelan opposition who hopes to return to run the country, “a very nice woman” at the start of the year.

Ghasseminejad said he did not view Trump’s comments “as a negative thing” for Pahlavi. “As he said, obviously it’s better if you have someone inside who is not crazy, who is moderate … The reality is that that person does not exist,” he said. “I think President Trump implied that too. President Trump has said that it will be Iranians who will choose. If the Iranian people choose someone, we are fine with that.”

Pahlavi’s circle claimed “mass support” for him inside Iran, after crowds were heard chanting his name during the January protests, which were brutally suppressed. The true extent of his support is hard to tell but an online petition launched this week for Iranian academics around the world to show their support has exceeded 1,000 signatures.

He is certainly better organised and staffed than just a few years ago and his team has rejected accusations that he is bankrolled by Israel, which he visited in 2023 when he met Binyamin Netanyahu, or any other nation.

Ghasseminejad rejected that Pahlavi had a difficult week after Trump’s remarks and an incident when two Russian comedians duped the crown prince into giving a video interview believing he was speaking to “Adolf”, an official sporting a Hitler moustache purporting to represent Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor. It was an embarrassment for his small inner circle, which mainly comprises exiled Iranians but also includes Justin Forsyth, a British former chief executive of Save the Children and deputy executive director of Unicef, the UN children’s fund, from 2016 to 2018.

Ghasseminejad said that Pahlavi would not necessarily wait for the Islamic Republic regime to fall before returning to Iran. “For him to go back, we need to be able to — you can never guarantee 100 per cent — but you need to be able to have a good probability that when he goes back, he won’t be killed,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that the regime has fallen necessarily, but it means that regime security forces are weak enough and enough defectors have been secured.

“The regime’s control over the society should be much lower than what it is now … There is a point that his return will expedite the collapse.”

ATTACHMENT FORTY FIVE – FROM THE CANARY (U.K.)

THE CHOICE OF KHAMENEI JR. AS SUPREME LEADER IS A BLOW TO TRUMP’S IMPERIAL PLANS

by The Canary 9 March 2026

Iran’s Assembly of Experts cast their votes and announced their election of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s successor. After much deliberation, they have chosen Mojtaba Khamenei, the second-eldest son of the former supreme leader killed in the first round of offensive US-Israeli strikes. This is no doubt a thorn in the side of the American Trump administration.

An inauguration ceremony held on 9 March during which members of the security apparatus, including the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Artesh (conventional armed forces), and the Basij, all pledged their allegiance to the new head of state.

KHAMENEI OUT OF THE SHADOWS

This choice of leader is about more than ‘keeping it in the family.’ Moreover, it laughs in the face of Trump for believing he could ever pull the levers of such a decision.

However, Mojtaba, a 56-year-old cleric and veteran of the Iraq-Iran war, is not the heavy-hitter his father was. He has never held an official title. He is widely known as the “man behind the curtain.”

Nevertheless, Iran’s shadow has come into full view. For years, pundits and US officials alike, long argued that Khamenei Sr. had “delegated” leadership responsibilities to Khamenei Jr. Khamenei junior is said to have been working in lockstep with IRGC and Basij commanders. In that sense, Mojtaba was the surest choice. The fatal strike on his father’s compound also killed his mother, wife, and son.

TRUMP’S BACKSLIDE

Much to the dismay of Iran’s foes, for now, the “snake” – as they call it –  has grown a new head. Billions of dollars expended by warhawks in Washington and Tel Aviv salivating at the prospect of a rubbled Iran, and for what? All to land back on square one.

Is this the war Trump claims is going “very well”? Notwithstanding what the Republican cultish leader thinks or wants the world to think, Iran will not bow for his or anyone else’s convenience. The crowning of Mojtaba reminds those waging this unprovoked war of this fact.

It’s ultimately a one-finger salute to the Trump’s twin demands of:

§ unconditional surrender

§ We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future

More apparent than the fulfilment of either demand is the collision course America has set itself against. On the one hand, Trump has disavowed earlier calls of “regime change,” yet continues to demand the lead role in writing the next chapter of the country’s history.

While Trump has remained tight-lipped on the choice of Mojtaba, Trump-friendly US senator Lindsey Graham has said the appointment of the late Ayatollah’s son “is not the change we’re looking for” before calling him a “religious Nazi” and confirming the target placed on his back:

I believe it’s just a matter of time before he meets the same fate as that of his father — one of the most evil men on the planet.

REGIME CHANGE IS NOT A MENU ITEM

If history has taught us anything, capitulation is what the Iranian regime has resisted for almost 50 years. Azadeh Sobout, a research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast, delivered a blistering critique of America’s cavalier attitude. She also criticised the mischaracterisation of freedom as a cannonball tearing through civilian infrastructure:

We are being sold this binary idea that we either have to choose between dictatorship or bombardment, between destruction of submission.

If regime change were a choice on the menu, the people of countries trapped in America’s forever wars would have long ago requested that for America. The point Sobout makes, by calling out the duplicitous global system, is that America does what it wants with little regard for the consequences. Also, America shows little regard for the post-WWII rules-based system. As we now see, that system exists in name only:

I believe it’s the right of self determination to the people of Iran and other people in the region that have constantly been undermined.

Freedom, as the academic added, isn’t about:

destroying the remaining infrastructure of our societal and cultural spaces.

In the famous words of Iran’s former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif:

A man of the people, or the IRGC?

Back in Iran, opinions are divided over Mojtaba. In Shiraz, a major military production hub and Shi’ite seminary centre, and elsewhere, Khamenei Jr. was warmly received as Iran’s new supreme leader. Opposition has been quieter. In fact, dissent would be regarded as treason by law under war.

Mojtaba has been accused by some Iranians of suppressing anti-government protesters in January 2026, and engineering past presidential elections.

Others have cast him as the hereditary heir to Khamenei, arguing that his appointment runs counter to the tenets of the Islamic revolution of 1979.

More controversial is the IRGC-controlled business empire Mojtaba has inherited, including the state-owned Setad conglomerate – giving him control over assets valued at USD 95 billion. These include properties previously owned by dissidents stripped of their ownership rights.

His position within the IRGC network is important for the survival of Iran’s political system. At this tentative stage it is unclear whether he’ll emerge as a reformist character or toe the hardliner route. Either way, the message this broadcasts to America and the wider world is that Iran will not accept terms and conditions written in imperial blood. Only time will tell if Mojtaba can hold down the fort while the moat is on fire. More importantly, only time will tell if he can survive leadership decapitation.

What Mojtaba is unlikely to do – in the famous worlds of Khomeini, the founding father of the Islamic Republic – is to drink from the poisoned chalice. America is looking increasingly trapped in a long engagement, given surrender is not on the cards for Iran.

ATTACHMENT FORTY SIX – FROM THE BETOOTA ADVOCATE (AUSTRALIA)

US ORCHESTRATES SWIFT AND SEAMLESS IRANIAN REGIME CHANGE FROM AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI TO AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI JNR

The United States is this week basking in all its glory.

With missiles flying all around Iran and the Middle East, and the price of oil skyrocketing around the globe, the United States of Imperialism is patting itself on the back for once again blatantly breaching international law and destabilising an entire region.

While many in places like Australia bemoan the spike in the cost of living and question the sense in starting another long term regional conflict, the United States has assured the world that the war is a success.

President Trump has confirmed that the war will be over 'soon,' despite his country never ever wrapping up a war quickly, or successfully.

And, thankfully, the President has orchestrated a swift and smooth regime change in the giant and powerful nation of Iran.

Wiping out Ayatollah Khamanei, the Supreme Leader of Islamic regime, the United States has successfully heralded a new dawn in the country by replacing him with Ayatollah Khamanei - the previous Supreme Leader's son.

Despite 'Nepo Baby' allegations, Ayatollah Kahmanei is set to take the reins of the regime in what will definitely result in the freedom and liberation of the Iranian people - and definitely won't require the US and its allies to kill him as well.

ATTACHMENT FORTY SEVEN – FROM NEW YORK POST

TRUMP SAYS HE DOESN’T THINK NEW IRAN LEADER MOJTABA KHAMENEI CAN ‘LIVE IN PEACE’

By Samuel Chamberlain Updated March 10, 2026, 7:39 a.m. ET

President Trump confirmed Monday night that he was “not happy” with the choice of Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his late father as supreme leader of Iran, claiming in an interview that “I don’t believe he can live in peace.”

Trump also told Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst that his understanding was that the Tehran government “want to talk badly” about ending the US-Israel war, which entered its 11th day Tuesday.

“It’s possible, depends on what terms, possible, only possible,” Trump told Yingst while aboard Air Force One en route to Washington from Miami. “You know, we sort of don’t have to speak anymore, you know, if you really think about it, but it’s possible.”

Hours earlier, the president had given a glowing assessment of Operation Epic Fury to reporters at his Trump National Doral Miami golf club.

“They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no anti-aircraft equipment, it’s all been blown up,” the president said of Iran’s military strength. “They have no radar. They have no telecommunications, and they have no leadership. It’s all gone.

“So, you know, you could look at that statement. We could, we could call it a tremendous success right now as we leave here. I could call it, or we could go further and we’re going to go further.”

The president defended the timing of the operation, which began Feb. 28, telling Yingst that “if we had waited three days, I believe we would have been attacked” by Iran.

“When we attacked them first, we knocked out 50% of their missiles, and if we didn’t, it would have been a much harder fight,” said Trump, adding: “No other president had the guts to do it … I didn’t want some president who hasn’t got the courage in five years or 10 years to go in.”

The commander-in-chief confirmed that he was told last month by special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner that Iranian officials had claimed to have enough enriched uranium to build 11 nuclear bombs.

“I said, ‘You know, they’re not playing this smart. Because they’re basically saying that I have to attack them,'” Trump told Fox News. “They should have just said, ‘We’re not going to build a nuclear missile.'”

According to US Central Command, American forces have hit more than 5,000 targets in the first 10 days of Operation Epic Fury, including more than 50 Iranian ships that have been recorded as damaged or destroyed.

In his remarks to reporters Monday evening, Trump indicated that “we’ve left some of the most important targets for later in case we need to do it. If we hit them, it’s going to take many years for them to be rebuilt.”

The president clarified that those targets are related to “electricity production and many other things, so we’re not looking to do that if we don’t have to. But they’re the kind of things that are very easy to hit but very devastating if they are hit.

“We are waiting to see what happens before we hit them. We could take them all out in one day.”

ATTACHMENT FORTY EIGHT – FROM AL JAZEERA

‘WORST-CASE SCENARIO’: TRUMP WEIGHS REPLACING KHAMENEI AS LEADER OF IRAN

Trump appeared to dismiss Reza Pahlavi as an option and sketched a vision of Iran’s government similar to Venezuela’s.

By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 3 Mar 2026

United States President Donald Trump has publicly mused about the leadership he would like to see in Iran following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

During an Oval Office appearance on Tuesday with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, one reporter asked Trump what plans he had made for a “worst-case scenario” in Iran, as the US and Israel continue to wage war on the country.

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Trump replied that he had few worries from a military standpoint, but he expressed concern that Khamenei could be succeeded by another leader unfriendly to US priorities.

“I guess the worst case would be we do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen. We don’t want that to happen,” Trump said.

“It would probably be the worst. You go through this and then, in five years, you realise you put somebody in who is no better.”

Shifting rationales

The US and Israel launched their military offensive on February 28, and Iran has responded with a barrage of attacks primarily aimed at Israel and US bases across the Middle East.

The death toll in Iran has reached at least 787 people. Injuries and deaths have also been reported across the region. At least six US service members have been killed in the fighting.

The Trump administration has offered a range of rationales to justify the attack, though experts have condemned the offensive as a violation of international law.

One of the rationales offered by Trump himself was the removal of Khamenei’s government.

In a prerecorded statement published over the weekend, Trump said the US military action was designed for “eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime”.

He added that he sought to “prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America” and issued a call for Iranian opposition members to “take over your government”.

Other administration officials, however, attempted to downplay regime change as a motive for the ongoing attacks, including Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.

“This is not a so-called regime change war,” Hegseth told reporters on Monday. “But the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it.”

VENEZUELA A MODEL FOR IRAN?

Still, in Tuesday’s remarks, Trump suggested a vision for Iran’s future that reflects the outcome of his recent military intervention in Venezuela.

On January 3, Trump authorised a military attack on the South American country that culminated with the abduction of then-President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The couple is currently in New York, where they await trial on charges related to drug trafficking.

Following Maduro’s removal, his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim leader, with the Trump administration’s support.

Ever since, Rodriguez’s government has largely acceded to US demands, including by surrendering millions of barrels of Venezuelan oil.

Trump, meanwhile, has warned that Rodriguez could “pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro”, if she “doesn’t do what’s right”.

But on Tuesday, Trump once again indicated that the Rodriguez government has been cooperative, and he was satisfied with the results of January’s attack in Venezuela. He hinted it could be a model for Iran’s future, as well.

“Venezuela was so incredible because we did the attack, and we kept government totally intact. And we have Delcy, who’s been very good. We have the whole chain of command,” Trump said.

He also underscored the economic benefits he hopes to extract, as the US continues to exercise control of Venezuela’s oil. He called the process “seamless”.

“The relationship’s been great. We’ve taken out a hundred million barrels of oil already. And a big part of that goes to them, and a big part goes to us,” Trump said.

“It’s been great. We paid for the war many times over, and we’re going to be running the oil. And Venezuela’s going to make more money than they ever made.”

BARRIERS TO TRUMP’S VISION

But Trump nevertheless signalled that there were hurdles to implementing a Venezuela-style regime change in Iran.

The US and Israeli attacks on Iran, Trump indicated, had killed many of the alternative leaders he had hoped to see in power.

“Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” Trump said. “We had some in mind from that group that is dead. And now, we have another group. They may be dead also, based on reports.”

He added that his options for replacing Khamenei were running low. “Pretty soon, we’re not going to know anybody.”

Still, Trump has repeatedly expressed ambivalence about the leadership prospects of Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last shah, who was exiled during the 1979 revolution.

Pahlavi, 65, has pitched himself as a candidate to lead Iran on an interim basis, in a bid to restore democracy.

But critics have argued that Pahlavi is a divisive figure. His father oversaw human rights abuses during his time as monarch, and Pahlavi himself has been accused of attacking fellow dissidents and failing to build a coalition.

When asked if Pahlavi could be an alternate leadership candidate, Trump demurred.

“I guess he is. Some people like him,” Trump said, before adding, “We haven’t been thinking too much about that. It would seem to me that somebody from within, maybe, would be more appropriate.”

Trump then explained he would prefer a moderate, “somebody that’s there, that’s currently popular, if there is such a person”. Still, he did offer light praise for Pahlavi, repeating a comment he had previously made about the shah’s son.

“He looks like a very nice person,” Trump said of Pahlavi.

ATTACHMENT FORTY NINE – FROM BREITBART

IRAN: OFFICIALS THREATEN TO ‘ELIMINATE’ TRUMP WHILE KHAMENEI JR. REMAINS SECLUDED

BY Frances Martel 10 Mar 2026

One of Iran’s top remaining officials warned President Donald Trump to “be careful not to be eliminated” during Operation Epic Fury, the American military engagement to neutralize the world’s most prolific terrorist state.

Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani posted the comment on the social media site Twitter on Tuesday, following remarks from Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday that Iran was not interested in any negotiation with the United States and that Operation Epic Fury had “failed.” In reality, the operation has eliminated dozens of senior Iranian officials — most notably “supreme leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — and President Trump told reporters on Monday that the war is close to concluding, as America is achieving all its objectives in the country ahead of schedule.

Iran has since chosen a new “supreme leader” — Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late ayatollah. Mojtaba has yet to make any public appearances since allegedly being given the power to run the country, however, nor has he issued any written remarks or statements. Iranian state media described Khamenei as vaguely injured during the conflict; some online rumors suggest that Khamenei may be significantly harmed and unable to govern.

Larijani, one of the more belligerent and vocal figures in what is left of the Islamist regime, threatened Trump in the context of declaring that Iran was not losing the war.

“Even those greater than you have failed to eliminate the Iranian nation,” Larijani wrote, addressing the American president. “Be careful not to be eliminated yourself!”

The Iranian regime, responsible for funding and operationally supporting terrorist organizations around the globe, has repeatedly threatened to kill Trump. Following President Trump’s decision in January 2020 to approve an airstrike eliminating one of Iran’s most competent terrorists, Quds Force chief Qasem Soleimani, a speaker at Soleimani’s funeral urged the creation of an $80 million bounty, paid for by a $1 contribution from 80 million Muslims, to be gifted to anyone who kills Trump. Unfortunately for Iran, the only person publicly accepting the agreement was comedian George Lopez.

Last week, the U.S. government revealed that Operation Epic Fury eliminated an unnamed Iranian official who had plotted to assassinate President Trump while he was out of office in 2024.

“We’ve known for a long time that Iran had intentions on trying to kill President Trump and/or other U.S. officials,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters. “And while that was not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination, in fact, never raised by the president or anybody else, I ensured, and others ensured, that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list.”

“Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth added.

President Trump addressed the tough talk from Iran once again on Monday night. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that “Death, Fire, and Fury will reign [sic]” over Iran if its regime attempts to block shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which the regime claims to have done for ships associated with the United States and Israel.

“If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far,” Trump warned. “Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!”

Iranian officials have nonetheless refused negotiations or any steps towards ending the conflict.

“We are certainly not seeking a ceasefire; we believe that we must strike the aggressor in the mouth so that they learn a lesson and never think of aggression against our dear Iran again,” Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf declared on Tuesday.

Notably silent on the issue is Mojtaba Khamenei, allegedly the nation’s “supreme leader.” Iran held an “allegiance” ceremony on Monday for the younger Khamenei, but he was not present, resulting in a bizarre scene in which officials held up a framed photo of their leader that gave the appearance that he had died.

Foreign Minister Araghchi told PBS on Monday that it was “too soon for him to make any comment,” referring to Khamenei, but did not explain why.

“We are all waiting for his speeches and comments, which will come later on,” he promised. “But I don’t think the question of talking with Americans or negotiation with Americans once again would be on the table, because we have a very bitter experience of talking with Americans.”

Araghchi insisted that, despite the devastated state of Iran’s dictatorial leadership, Operation Epic Fury was a “failure” because the regime continued to exist.

“I believe that the option plan A was a failure, and now they are trying other plans, but all of them have failed as well. And I don’t think they have any realistic endgame in their mind, because we are seeing some sort of a chaos thing,” he mused.

Follow Frances Martel on Facebook and Twitter.

ATTACHMENT FIFTY – FROM NEWS AZ (AZERBAIJAN)

MOJTABA KHAMENEI ELIMINATED: IRAN'S BRIEF NEW SUPREME LEADER REPORTEDLY TAKEN OUT HOURS AFTER SUCCESSION

Iran's fragile regime suffered another blow today as reports emerged that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the man briefly installed as supreme leader, has been killed.

Ali Khamenei fell to joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026, decapitating the Islamic Republic's leadership at the outset of escalated conflict. Mojtaba, long viewed as the hardline favorite to inherit power despite no formal public role, was reportedly named successor earlier this week amid chaos and Israeli warnings that any new leader would become a target, News.Az reports.

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· Iran struck the 23 Marina tower in Dubai - VIDEO

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· Bahrain says buildings damaged after latest Iranian attack

· Circulating accounts, including from sources inside Iran, claim Mojtaba was eliminated today—his tenure lasting mere hours—after strikes hit his location. Social media erupted with claims of confirmation, including posts noting his "career" from appointment to death spanned only an afternoon.

· Major outlets like Reuters, AP, and The New York Times, as of early March, reported Mojtaba alive and in hiding following his father's death, with succession talks ongoing but no final announcement. Yet today's unverified but persistent reports suggest Israel's threats proved real, delivering swift justice to the regime's would-be heir.

· The pattern is clear: attempts to prop up Khamenei's theocratic dynasty meet the same fate as the original tyrant. Iran's mullahs face a stark choice—persist in aggression or face total collapse.

ATTACHMENT FIFTY ONE – FROM AI OVERVIEW

Yes, Mojtaba Khamenei is believed to be alive as of March 2026, despite reports that his wife and mother were killed in an Israeli airstrike that also killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He is currently considered a leading, hardline contender to succeed his father. 

· Status: Alive, potentially in hiding following the airstrikes.

· Context: Following the death of his father (Ali Khamenei) in early March 2026, Mojtaba's position as a successor has been strengthened within the Assembly of Experts.

· Background: He is a 55-year-old Shi'ite cleric and influential behind-the-scenes figure with close ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

AI Overview

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, is reported to have accumulated a vast fortune exceeding 

$3 billion. His alleged wealth, often hidden through a web of offshore companies and not held in his own name, includes international properties, investments, and gold. 

· Asset Distribution: His assets are allegedly distributed across banks in the UAE, Syria, Venezuela, and African countries.

· Property Portfolio: Reports indicate ownership of a $138 million mansion in London and other significant international real estate.

· Hidden Fortune: Investigations suggest he holds roughly $300 million in gold and diamonds.

· Influence: As a key figure in the Iranian regime, he is often described as managing a vast, opaque financial empire. 

These figures are based on reports regarding the wealth of the Khamenei family and are not officially confirmed. 

ATTACHMENT “A” – FROM THE GUARDIAN U.K.

TIMELINE back from 12:56 PM 2/28

US and Israel launch major attack on Iran to trigger regime change as Tehran retaliates across the Middle East – live

Iran’s foreign minister says Donald Trump’s aim of regime change is ‘mission impossible’; 201 people killed in Iran, media reports say

Full report: US and Israel attack Iran

Analysis: Trump’s attack has no mandate

A visual guide to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran – and Tehran’s response

LIVE Updated 4m ago

@1230 14m ago

201 people killed and 747 injured in Iran, media reports

@1200 41m ago

Death toll rises to 85 after strike on Iranian school

@1200 1h ago

US secretary of state Rubio briefed Democratic and Republican 'gang of eight' on strikes, says White House

@1100 2h ago

Iran closing Strait of Hormuz, EU naval officials reported as saying

@1100 2h ago

UN security council to hold emergency meeting

@1100 2h ago

Netanyahu and Trump hold phone call

@1100 2h ago

Iran supreme leader and president still alive, says foreign minister

@1000 3h ago

Maps: US-Israeli joint military operation in Iran, and Tehran's retaliatory strikes

@1000 3h ago

Regime change in Iran is 'mission impossible', says Tehran foreign minister

@1000 3h ago

Summary of developments so far

@1000 3h ago

British planes 'in the sky' in Middle East protecting our people, interests and allies, says Starmer

@1000 3h ago

Reactions from US lawmakers after Trump strikes Iran

@0900 4h ago

UK, Germany and France condemn Iranian attacks

@0900 4h ago

Pictured: Tehran compound of Iran's supreme leader heavily damaged

@0800 5h ago

Analysis: Trump’s unprovoked attack on Iran has no mandate – or legal basis

@0800 5h ago

World leaders react to attacks

@0800 5h ago

Iran will 'teach aggressors lesson they deserve', says Tehran foreign minister

@0700 6h ago

Iran missile strikes Kuwait base hosting Italian troops, official says

@0700 6h ago

Oman foreign minister 'dismayed' by attacks, tells US 'this is not your war'

@0700 6h ago

Saudi Arabia condemns Iran attacks against Gulf nations

@0700 6h ago

40 killed in girls' school in Iran after US-Israel attack, state media says

@0700 6h ago

Bahrain authorities evacuate people from US base location

@0600 7h ago

Airlines that have cancelled flights to the region

@0600 7h ago

British Airways cancels flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain

@0600 7h ago

What we know so far

@0600 7h ago

Iran's supreme leader and president were targets of attack - reports

@0500 8h ago

Analysis: Yet another mid-talks attack jeopardises chances of Iran taking Trump seriously

@0500 8h ago

Foreign office issues warning to British nationals in region amid attacks

@0500 8h ago

One person killed in Abu Dhabi, says UAE defence ministry

@0500 8h ago

Iran targets US bases in Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain

@0500 8h ago

US navy fleet 'subject to missile attack' in Bahrain

@0500 8h ago

Iran launch missiles at US base in Bahrain - report

@0500 8h ago

Gulf countries close airspace

@0400 9h ago

Iranian officials 'main target' of US-Israel strikes - reports

@0400 9h ago

'No red lines' in Iran's response to attacks, says official

@0400 9h ago

Flights suspended and airspaces closed in region

@0400 9h ago

What we know so far

@0400 9h ago

Netanyahu: Attacks on Iran to remove 'existential threat'

@0400 9h ago

Netanyahu: US-Israel attacks against Iran will allow Iranians to topple Ayatollah regime

@0300 10h ago

'Take over your government', Trump tells Iranian people

@0300 10h ago

Iran launched missiles at Israel, says IDF

@0300 10h ago

Schools and workplaces closed in Jerusalem until Monday

@0300 10h ago

'We are going to raze their missile industry to the ground' - Trump

@0300 10h ago

Lay down your arms or 'face certain death', Trump tells Revolutionary Guards

@0300 10h ago

US military has launched 'major combat operations' in Iran - Trump

@0300 10h ago

Mobile phone services cut in Iran

@0200 11h ago

Blasts heard in several cities - reports

@0200 11h ago

Images show smoke rising from Tehran

@0200 11h ago

Iran closes its airspace

@0200 11h ago

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not in Tehran

@0200 11h ago

Loud blasts and columns of smoke in Tehran, report AFP journalists

@0200 11h ago

Israel strikes Iran

Image, captured by Airbus, shows multiple destroyed or heavily damaged structures within the Tehran complex of Iran’s supreme leader.

By Marina Dunbar (now); Taz Ali, Hamish Mackay and Rebecca Ratcliffe (earlier)

Sat 28 Feb 2026 12.56 EST

From 3h ago

09.59 EST

Summary of developments so far

The US and Israel have launched a joint military operation against Iran, prompting Tehran to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US bases across the Middle East.

Explosions rocked the Iranian capital Tehran, with satellite imagery showing extensive damage at the secure compound of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, though his whereabouts remains unclear.

Israel said its strikes targeted the Iranian regime leadership and military commanders, including Khamenei and the Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Iranian state media, citing Iran’s senior officials, reported that Khamenei was not in Tehran and was taken to a secure location, while Pezeshkian is safe.

Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister who has been leading the nuclear talks for the Iranian delegation, promised that Iran’s army “will teach aggressors the lesson they deserve”.

Further explosions were reported in Gulf nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait, all of which host US military bases. One person was killed from shrapnel from an Iranian missile in Abu Dhabi, UAE officials said.

Donald Trump described the US military campaign as “massive and ongoing” as he called on the people of Iran to “take over your government”. In a speech posted on Truth Social, he said the US would “raze [Iran’s] missile industry to the ground” and claimed Tehran had refused to reach a deal with the US that would have averted war.

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the American-Israeli attack could “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands”.

World leaders have urged all sides to de-escalate and return to the negotiating table. The UK, France and Germany issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s retaliatory attacks on neighbouring countries but it stopped short of complete support for the US-Israeli attacks on Tehran.

The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, has said British planes “are in the sky today” in the Middle East “as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies”.

Vehicles burn in Tehran after US-Israeli strikes – video

0:35

Updated at

11.24 EST

5m ago

12.56 EST

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has denounced the choice to strike Iran without approval from US Congress.

Jeffries said in a statement that “Iran is a bad actor and must be aggressively confronted for its human rights violations, nuclear ambitions, support of terrorism and the threat it poses to our allies like Israel and Jordan in the region” but added that outside of “exigent circumstances” the president “must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war.”

Trump “failed to seek Congressional authorization prior to striking Iran,” Jeffries said. He also said that the latest round of strikes “has left American troops vulnerable to Iran’s retaliatory actions.”

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement that “the American people are once again dragged into a war they did not want by a president who does not care about the long-term consequences of his actions. This war is unlawful. It is unnecessary. And it will be catastrophic.”

She then addressed Trump directly, saying “Mr. President: this was not an inevitability. This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach. Stop lying to the American people.”

14m ago

12.47 EST

201 people killed and 747 injured in Iran, media reports

Iranian media is reporting that 201 people have been killed and 747 people have been injured in the US-Israeli attacks.

Israeli emergency services have reported 94 wounded, including a teenager who was lightly wounded by shrapnel and others affected by blasts. The organization reported that it has provided medical treatment to 89 wounded in minor condition so far.

Updated at

12.49 EST

23m ago

12.37 EST

US senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has questioned whether Trump has learned anything “from decades of US meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East.”

“For months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want lower prices, not more war — especially wars that aren’t authorized by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and don’t have a clear objective,” Kaine said in a statement. “These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives.”

Kaine also called for the Senate to “immediately return” to the Capitol and vote on whether to authorize or limit US strikes against Iran.

Senator Adam Schiff said in a statement that “Donald Trump is drawing our country into yet another foreign war that Americans don’t want and Congress has not authorized. And he has acknowledged that as a result, American troops may be lost.”

He added: “Senators Kaine, Paul, Schumer and I have introduced another War Powers Resolution to prevent U.S. Armed Forces from taking further action against Iran without authorization from Congress. We should return to session immediately and vote on the resolution.”

30m ago

12.30 EST

Angela Giuffrida

Residents in Dubai have said the situation in the emirate deteriorated this afternoon, with people living on the Palm Jumeirah island reporting an explosion there at about 7pm local time.

“It happened about five minutes away from us,” said a Palm Jumeirah resident who d a video of thick black smoke appearing to rise from the top of a building but who did not want to be named.

Another resident said the situation had deteriorated and everyone is “very scared”.

“There is footage of missile interceptions all over the city,” the person said. “I am packing a suitcase just in case … Not that we can leave, because airspace is closed. It is the thing we have all been frightened about happening, and now it has.”

Updated at

12.35 EST

41m ago

12.20 EST

Death toll rises to 85 after strike on Iranian school

The death toll from a strike that hit a school in southern Iran has risen to 85 people, an official said on Iranian state TV.

Capt Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said he was “aware of reports” that a girls’ school was struck and they were looking into them.

Updated at

12.21 EST

48m ago

12.12 EST

The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed the earlier call between Trump and Netanyahu.

“President Trump monitored the situation overnight at Mar a Lago alongside members of his national security team. The President spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu by phone,” Leavitt wrote on social media. “Prior to the attacks, Secretary Rubio called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members.”

“The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day,” she added.

Updated at

12.19 EST

55m ago

12.05 EST

In the run-up to the US and Israeli attacks, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) assessed that even if Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the operation, he would probably be replaced by hardline figures from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), two sources told Reuters.

The assessments, which were produced over the past two weeks, looked broadly at what could occur in Iran after a US intervention and the extent to which a military operation could trigger regime change in the Islamic Republic – now a pronounced objective for Washington.

The IRGC is an elite military force whose purpose is to protect Shia Muslim clerical rule in Iran.

The intelligence agency reports did not conclude any scenario with certainty, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.

Updated at

12.09 EST

1h ago

11.50 EST

US secretary of state Rubio briefed Democratic and Republican 'gang of eight' on strikes, says White House

Hugo Lowell

The White House is telling us that the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, called top Democratic and Republican lawmakers who are part of the so-called gang of eight to brief them of the strikes before they commenced.

The Pentagon also delivered notifications of the strikes to the House and Senate armed services committees after the operation commenced.

But Democrats in Congress have been very vocal this morning criticizing the Trump administration’s decision to plunge the US into a conflict without congressional authorization.

Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee who is also part of the Gang of Eight, said in a statement: “Everything I have heard from the administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame.”

Updated at

12.08 EST

1h ago

11.44 EST

Shrai Popat

Democratic senator Elissa Slotkin said in a statement that the US operation against Iran “doesn’t appear to be a one-and-done”, and offered her thoughts for servicemembers and their families in the region.

Slotkin, a Michigan lawmaker, also noted that many of her constituents have family in the Middle East “who are at risk right now as Iran is striking a number of countries”.

“As a former CIA officer who served three tours in Iraq, I have no love lost for the Iranian government,” said Slotkin, who sits on the Senate armed services committee. But she underscored that Donald Trump has not “made his case to the American people”.

She added: “He hasn’t laid out the goals or the imminent threat posed by Iran that justifies risking a wider regional war. And he hasn’t followed the Constitution and brought this issue before Congress before committing our nation to war.”

In the past, leaders including Trump himself have “condemned the rush to war without clear goals in the past,” Slotkin noted.

“He owes the American people the same thing he was demanding of previous presidents if he’s going to put lives at risk. And Congress should come back to Washington to debate these issues,” the senator said.

1h ago

11.39 EST

Pjotr Sauer

The five-star Fairmont hotel in Dubai was engulfed in flames after what appeared to be an Iranian retaliatory strike.

Footage circulating on social media shows the moment an object strikes the luxury hotel, followed by a loud explosion. It was not immediately clear whether the building had been hit by a missile or a drone.

Authorities in the UAE emirate of Dubai later confirmed that an incident had occurred at a building in the upscale Palm Jumeirah area. It remains unclear how many casualties there were.

Tens of thousands of international tourists are stuck in the UAE, with airports closed since this morning following the start of joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Russia’s tourism authority said that about 50,000 Russian nationals alone were currently in the country.

Updated at

11.42 EST

2h ago

11.28 EST

Iran closing Strait of Hormuz, EU naval officials reported as saying

An official from the European Union’s naval mission Aspides said that vessels have been receiving VHF transmissions from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards saying “no ship is allowed to pass the Strait of Hormuz,” Reuters has reported.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency also said that it received multiple reports from vessels operating in the Gulf saying they had received messages on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The strait is the world’s most vital oil export route, which connects the biggest Gulf oil producers, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The official said Iran had not formally confirmed any such order. Tehran has for years threatened to block the narrow waterway in retaliation for any attack on the Islamic Republic.

Updated at

12.37 EST

2h ago

11.18 EST

The New York police department says it is strengthening security at sensitive locations around New York City in response to the conflict in Iran.

“The NYPD is closely monitoring events in Iran and the Middle East and coordinating with our federal and international partners,” the department wrote on social media. “As is our protocol and out of an abundance of caution, we will be enhancing patrols to sensitive locations throughout the city, including diplomatic, cultural, religious, and other relevant sites.”

Updated at

11.22 EST

2h ago

11.06 EST

In pictures: the aftermath of US and Israeli strikes in Tehran

Flames rise in an area in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from social media video.

People gather near burnt vehicles in Tehran, Iran, in this screen grab obtained from social media video.

Updated at

11.13 EST

1 of 9

More

ATTACHMENT “B” – FROM CNN

US and Israel attack Iran as Tehran retaliates across Middle East

US President Donald Trump called for regime change in Tehran, telling Iranians to “take over your government.”

@1300 Updated 1:07 PM EST, Sat February 28, 2026

Here's the latest

• US and Israel strike: The US and Israel have attacked Iran, with President Donald Trump indicating the “massive and ongoing” military operation is aimed at overturning the government in Tehran. The attack included strikes on the Iranian supreme leader’s compound and killed several senior figures, according to an Israeli military official, though details remain limited.

• Massive retaliation: Iran launched an unprecedented wave of strikes at US military bases, Israel and targets in other countries across the Middle East, disrupting air travel and oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian drone struck a high-end, densely populated neighborhood in Dubai.

• Global reaction: The United Arab Emirates called the conflict a “historic moment” in the Middle East, saying world leaders had failed to ensure the region’s stability. The leaders of some US allies expressed concern, while some Arab nations condemned Iran’s retaliation.

AllCatch UpAnalysis

164 Posts

@1300 1 min ago

Israel dropped hundreds of munitions against 500 targets, military says

By Dana Karni

Israel dropped hundreds of munitions against approximately 500 targets as part of a massive wave of simultaneous strikes on Iran, the Israeli military said in a statement Saturday.

The targets included aerial defense systems and ballistic missile launchers in central and western Iran, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Approximately 200 fighter jets carried out the coordinated strike, the IDF said, calling it the “largest military flyover” in the history of the country’s air force.

The strikes against defensive systems allowed for “the expansion” of air superiority over Iran, the IDF said, and degraded Tehran’s ability to launch ballistic missiles at Israel.

@1300 3 min ago

Strikes on Iran are "about regime change," CNN's Fareed Zakaria says

From CNN staff

The United States and Israel’s coordinated strikes on Iran, according to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, are less focused on a nuclear deal and more on regime change.

00:44

@1300 6 min ago

FBI counterterrorism teams on elevated alert, official says

By Kristen Holmes

The FBI’s counterterrorism and counterintelligence teams are on elevated alert nationwide after the US strikes in Iran, a bureau official told CNN.

The increased security posture mirrored that of police departments, including in New York City, which stepped up patrols in case of violence on US soil after the attack. Such moves are common in the wake of global events like those on Saturday.

@1300 8 min ago

Tel Aviv residents have spent the day in and out of shelters

By Dana Karni and Catherine Nicholls

Residents of Tel Aviv, Israel, have spent the day running in and out of shelters, as sirens warning of potential attacks have gone off more than a dozen times today, according to a CNN producer on the ground.

Earlier, Israel ordered the public to carry out essential activities only following its strikes on Iran, expecting retaliatory action from Tehran. Public gatherings, as well as going to work and school, were prohibited, with some exceptions made for specific sectors.

As missiles have been launched toward Israel throughout the day, residents have at times received alerts instructing them to seek shelter within 10 minutes. Typically, a few minutes after the alerts, sirens have sounded, warning residents that they have limited to time to barricade themselves in.

At one point today, residents were told to stay in shelters for nearly an hour, after consecutive alerts were distributed warning of multiple missiles fired.

CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, who has been reporting live from Tel Aviv today, has at times been reporting on air from a bunker because of this danger. You can watch some of his reporting in the video at the top of this post.

@1300 12 min ago

US-Israeli attack is an "egregious act of aggression," Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson says

By Frederik Pleitgen and Claudia Otto

Iran views US and Israeli attacks as an “egregious act of aggression without any reason,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told CNN on Saturday.

Baghaei accused President Donald Trump’s administration of being “dragged” into a conflict in which “the only beneficiary” would be Israel.

“The American people should be reminded that we were again in the middle of the diplomatic process that was progressing,” he said.

The spokesperson also defended Iran’s retaliatory strikes throughout the region.

“This is in accordance with our inherent, legitimate right of self-defense. This is our responsibility, our duty as a state to defend our territory and our sovereignty against this unlawful act,” Baghaei said.

“Every country in the region recognizes the threat that is coming from Israel’s attack against Iran,” he added.

When asked if the conflict could widen throughout the region, Baghaei suggested that “anything is possible.”

Iran “didn’t welcome this war — it was imposed on us,” he said.

@1300 15 min ago

What we know so far about the US-Israeli attack on Iran and the ongoing retaliation

By Tori B. Powell

We’re bringing you breaking news out of the Middle East after Israel coordinated with the United States to strike Iran.

If you’re just joining us this Saturday afternoon, here’s what you should know:

· Strikes across Iran: Israel launched an operation Saturday morning according to the Prime Minister’s Office, across multiple cities in Iran. The strikes targeted ballistic missiles and missile launchers, which Israel has viewed as a serious threat, as well as senior Iranian figures, two Israeli sources familiar with the operation told CNN. It is unclear if any of the officials were hit. Israel is preparing for several days of strikes and “even more if needed,” an Israeli source tells CNN.

· US involvement: The strikes were coordinated with the United States and months of “close and joint planning” took place between the two countries, according to the Israel Defense Forces. A US official says the US strikes are currently focused on military targets, but declined to elaborate citing an ongoing operation. Another US official said the goal of the strikes is to address the Iranian military threat and protect US forces. The US military is also planning for several days of attacks, according to two sources.

· What Trump said: In a video, President Donald Trump described the military campaign as “massive and ongoing,” intended to prevent the country from putting US lives at risk. He said American lives may be lost and encouraged Iranians to seize control of their government when US military operations conclude. The president is continuing to monitor the strikes from his Mar-a-Lago resort, a White House official told CNN. He is not expected to deliver any more formal remarks today.

· Iran’s response: In response to the US and Israeli strikes, Iran appears to be striking US targets in several countries at once, with blasts heard from the beaches of Dubai to the streets of Doha. Iran’s army said it will deliver a “historic lesson” to Israel and the US.

· Across the region: There are reports of multiple explosions in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, all of which have US bases. Qatar and Jordan say military forces intercepted missiles targeting their countries. One person was killed by falling debris after air defenses intercepted missiles targeting sites in Abu Dhabi, state-run WAM news agency said, citing the UAE defense ministry.

CNN’s Oren Liebermann, Eugenia Yosef, Tal Shalev, Brad Lendon, Jeremy Diamond, Kevin Liptak, Haley Britzky, Zachary Cohen, Kevin Liptak, Alayna Treene, Oren Liebermann, Mostafa Salem, Adam Pourahmadi, Riane Lumer, Eyad Kourdi, Tim Lister, Kaitlan Collins, Abbas Al Lawati, Samantha Waldenberg, Jeremy Diamond, Jomana Karadsheh, Catherine Nicholls, Jim Sciutto contributed reporting.

@1300 23 min ago

Potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates weigh in on Iran strikes

By Kaanita Iyer

Democrats eyeing a presidential run in 2028 criticized President Donald Trump’s move to strike Iran and argued the conflict poses risks to American troops.

· California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that while he supports regime change in Iran and believes the country should not have nuclear weapons, it “does not justify the President of the United States engaging in an illegal, dangerous war that will risk the lives of our American service members and our friends without justification to the American people.”

· Pete Buttigieg, former Transportation secretary, similarly said the strikes put Americans at risk and added, “It does nothing to help with the urgent problems here at home that Americans face every day.”

· Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear recalled the “long term impacts” of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and argued that Trump “owes Congress and the American people a full explanation as these actions put American troops at significant risk.”

· Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker described the strikes as having “No justification, no authorization from Congress, and no clear objective.” He added: “But none of that matters to Donald Trump — and apparently neither do the safety and lives of American service members.”

CNN’s Christian Sierra and Kit Maher contributed to this post.

@1300 9 min ago

White House working to arrange full Senate and House briefings this week

By Alayna Treene

The White House is working to arrange full Senate and House member briefings on the Iran strikes this week, a White House official told CNN.

The briefings would be the most expansive opportunity yet for lawmakers to learn about the attacks, though the bipartisan group of House and Senate leaders known as the Gang of Eight did receive some information.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on X that prior to the attacks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio “called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members.”\

@1230 36 min ago

Israel has treated 89 lightly injured casualties so far

By Abeer Salman

Israel has treated 89 lightly injured people as Iran and Israel trade attacks, according to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s national emergency service.

The casualties included a 16-year-old male injured by shrapnel in Kafr Qassem and an approximately 50-year-old man injured by blast impact in Ka’abiyye-Tabbash.

Video also showed damage but no injuries in a building in Petah-Tikva.

MDA teams are at “peak readiness,” the service said in a press release.

@1200 39 min ago

A look at the military strikes Trump has ordered in his second term

By Kit Maher

President Donald Trump launched a new level of attacks against Iran today, but his second term — just over a year in — has been marked by a bevy of military strikes. Here’s a recap:

· In February 2025, Trump announced that he “ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia.”

· The following month, Trump announced that the US military, in coordination with the Iraqi and Kurdish governments, killed “the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq.”

· Also in March 2025, Trump ordered strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in response to attacks on the USS Harry Truman.

· Over the summer, Trump launched Operation Midnight Hammer, targeting three Iranian nuclear facilities, which he said were “obliterated.”

· On Christmas, ISIS terrorists in Nigeria were targeted by the US military, as Trump accused them of “slaughtering” Christians.

· In early January, Trump launched airstrikes against Venezuela, capturing Nicolas Maduro. The attack also occurred on an early Saturday morning, while Trump was at Mar-a-Lago.

· On January 10, the US announced it struck ISIS targets in Syria, in continued response to the killing of two US service members who hailed from Iowa. “Operation Hawkeye Strike” launched in December, according to US Central Command, striking “more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria with fighter jets, attack helicopters, and artillery.”

Reporting from Kevin Liptak, Natasha Bertrand, Aleena Fayez and Haley Britzky contributed to this post.

@1200 49 min ago

What the airspace over Iran looked like before and after the strikes

By CNN staff

See Website here!@

By Sophie Tanno and Jeremy Diamond

The two images above show the compound of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, before and after it was struck by missiles on Saturday. You can move the slider from left to right to compare.

The site appears to have been severely damaged, and a plume of black smoke can be seen in the vicinity of the compound.

As we reported earlier, “several” senior figures in Iran were killed in a set of targeted strikes in the opening salvo of the joint US-Israel strikes, according to an Israeli military official.

CNN earlier reported that there was growing optimism in Israel about the attacks, which targeted the Supreme Leader and other top figures in the regime, although there has so far been no final confirmation about whether Khamenei has been killed.

@1200 53 min ago

IRGC likely to fill any Iran leadership void in short term, US intel officials believe

By Natasha Bertrand

The US intelligence community has assessed that in the event of a successful regime change operation in Iran that deposed the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the hard-line Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would likely fill any leadership void in the short term, CNN has reported.

But intelligence has not been definitive on the issue, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in January that “no one knows” who would take over if the regime falls.

The IRGC “is definitely prominent and functions above the standard military bureaucracy, but it is hard to predict exactly what would happen in a regime collapse scenario,” said one source familiar with recent US intelligence reporting on the matter.

The US has also lacked clear insight into the IRGC’s hierarchy following the US assassination of Iran’s most powerful military commander, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, during Trump’s first term.

Israel’s strikes on Iran Saturday morning targeted senior Iranian figures, including Khamenei, armed forces Chief of Staff Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi, and President Masoud Pezeshkian, among others, two Israeli sources familiar with the operation told CNN. But it is unclear if any senior Iranian figures were hit in the attack.

@1200 1 hr 3 min ago

Israel begins another wave of attacks against Iran

By Dana Karni

Israel has started another wave of strikes targeting “missile launchers and aerial defense systems in central Iran,” the Israeli military said.

@1200 1 hr 7 min ago

Tehran streets are mostly quiet with distant explosions

By CNN staff

The streets of Tehran are generally quiet, an Iranian told CNN, after a series of strikes hit Iran’s capital on Saturday.

The Iranian said distant explosions can still be heard from Tajrish, a neighborhood in northern Tehran.

People can be heard yelling, “Death to the dictator!” out their windows, he told CNN.

The first round of strikes led to a flurry of traffic that took people hours to get home, he said.

@1130 48 min ago

Shahed drone seen hitting heavily populated part of Dubai

By Tala Alrajjal and Max Saltman

An Iranian Shahed drone struck near the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai, causing a large explosion and fire, according to numerous geolocated videos and eyewitnesses.

One witness told CNN she saw the drone strike while walking on the West Palm Beach near the hotel. Initially, she thought the drone was “a bird falling out of the sky,” then saw the drone bank left sharply before detonating.

“Now, we’re all sitting underneath the parking lot” taking shelter, she added.

Video shared with CNN shows the moment of impact. The drone, its wings clearly outlined against the sky, dropped at a steep angle between several high rise buildings before bursting into flame when it reached the ground.

Big picture: The Fairmont is located in Dubai’s high-end Palm Jumeirah, a thickly-settled manmade island off the city beach, known for its luxury apartments, hotels and restaurants.

The landfall of an Iranian drone in the middle of one of the wealthiest, most populated cities in the United Arab Emirates is virtually unprecedented. The strikes also come during Ramadan, and CNN staff on the ground in Dubai heard blasts in between calls to prayer from mosques in the city.

CNN’s Anna Chernova, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Zeena Saifi and Isa Cardona contributed.

@1130 46 min ago

Iran is in a near-total internet blackout, data shows

By Nina Giraldo

Iran is in a near-total internet blackout with “national connectivity at 4% of ordinary levels,” according to internet monitoring experts at NetBlocks.

In a post to X, the monitor said the blackout follows US and Israel’s attack on Iran and “matches measures used during last year’s war with Israel.”

The blackout follows an already bleak outlook for Iranian internet access. Since Iran’s brutal crackdown earlier this year, the regime has made progress to allow only a subset of people with security clearance to access the international web, experts said.

After previous internet shutdowns, some platforms never returned. The Iranian government blocked Instagram after the internet shutdown and protests in 2022, and the popular messaging app Telegram following protests in 2018.

CNN’s Lauren Kent contributed to this report.

@1200 1 hr 19 min ago

New York and DC police departments say they are monitoring developments in Iran

By Kaanita Iyer

The police departments of New York City and Washington, DC, said today that they are “closely monitoring” developments in Iran following US and Israel strikes.

The NYPD announced that it will increase patrols in various “sensitive locations” across the city.

“As is our protocol and out of an abundance of caution, we will be enhancing patrols to sensitive locations throughout the city, including diplomatic, cultural, religious, and other relevant sites,” the NYPD said in a post on X, adding that New Yorkers should “remain vigilant.”

Meanwhile, the Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department said there are currently “no known threats” to the nation’s capital but added that it is “prepared” to boost police presence if necessary. The department also urged residents to be vigilant.

@1200 1 hr 25 min ago

Economists expect oil prices to surge after US strikes in Iran

By Auzinea Bacon

Oil prices could increase drastically when futures begin trading on Sunday, experts warned.

The US and Israel strikes on Iran raise concerns that retaliations in the Middle East could disrupt the flow of oil trades, which is heavily dependent on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, which controls the strait, also controls the world’s third-largest proven oil reserves.

“The worst-case scenario for the oil market is an attack on Saudi oil infrastructure followed by a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It remains to be seen if Iran will indiscriminately attack oil tankers in the region, shutting the waterway,” Andy Lipow, president of consulting firm Lipow Oil Associates, told CNN on Saturday.

Brent futures open on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET and oil prices could increase as much as $5 per barrel, if not more, warned Lipow. He added that Iran could attack oil tankers in the region, shutting the waterway.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, topped $70 a barrel on February 18 for the first time since July — shortly after the last time the United States attacked Iran. On Friday, Brent crude rose 2.87% to $72.87 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 2.87% to $67.02 a barrel.

Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group, said investor reactions to the strikes “will be an all skate” and expects that crude “will roof on the open.”

Those higher prices could take a toll on US gas prices, which the Trump administration has touted during the president’s second term.

CNN’s Matt Egan contributed to this report.

@1130 1 hr 32 min ago

Top Senate Armed Services Democrat: Trump's strike on Iran "will outlast this presidency”

By Camila DeChalus

The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee is warning that President Donald Trump’s decision to take US military action against Iran will have consequences for years to come.

“Against the clear wishes of the American people, President Trump has thrust our nation into a major war with Iran — one he never made a case for, never sought congressional authority for, and for which he has no endgame,” Sen. Jack Reed said in a statement.

He added later: “President Trump has chosen the path of war while diplomacy was still within reach. That is a decision with consequences that will outlast this presidency.”

Reed also called for the administration to provide lawmakers with an “immediate briefing” so that Congress can provide necessary oversight.

Another Democrat on the committee, Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, echoed Reed’s concerns Saturday, saying she is troubled by the president’s military actions over the past year.

In a statement, Rosen warned that the administration’s “history of repeatedly withholding information and misleading Congress could lead us into another protracted Middle East conflict, without authorization from Congress.”

She added that “the American people are wary of prolonged military engagements abroad, especially when the objectives are unclear,” emphasizing that the Constitution grants Congress the authority to declare war and authorize the use of military force.

@1130 1 hr 33 min ago

Here's where Iran has targeted retaliatory strikes

By CNN Staff

Iran said it targeted US military facilities in several countries in the Persian Gulf — as well as sending barrages of missiles toward Israel — after the US and Israel began strikes against Iranian military and government targets on Saturday morning local time.

The sound of explosions reverberated in several countries across the region as missile defenses were deployed to intercept the incoming missiles. There were also several drone attacks by Iran.

Iran launched “dozens” of ballistic missiles toward Israel, according to Nour News, an outlet affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Israel said about 40 ballistic missiles had been fired by midafternoon local time. Some slight injuries were reported.

A number of missiles were intercepted over the United Arab Emirates, but debris from one killed an Asian national in Abu Dhabi, according to the UAE’s official news agency. A fire broke out in the upscale tourism area of the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, injuring four people, according to the Dubai Media Office. It’s unclear whether the fire was started by a direct impact or by falling debris.

One missile impacted a US navy facility in Bahrain. Later Saturday, an Iranian drone struck a military facility in Bahrain.

Qatar’s Defense Ministry said all three rounds of Iranian missiles targeting the emirate had been intercepted.

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Eastern Province were also targeted by Iranian missiles, the official Saudi Press Agency said. The kingdom described the attacks as “cowardly,” without giving details of damage.

Jordan said its air defenses had intercepted 13 ballistic missiles.

Kuwait also said Iranian missiles were intercepted over an air base in the emirate. Later Saturday, an Iranian drone struck the country’s international airport, injuring several people.

@1130 1 hr 34 min ago

Iranian leaders were likely surprised by daybreak strikes

By CNN staff

CNN’s international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson breaks down why leaders in Tehran were likely caught off-guard by the timing of the US and Israeli attacks:

@1130 1 hr 40 min ago

IAEA urges restraint in Middle East to "avoid any nuclear safety risks"

By Catherine Nicholls

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it is “closely monitoring developments in the Middle East,” urging “restraint to avoid any nuclear safety risks to people in the region.”

So far, there has not been evidence of any radiological impact of the strikes carried out by the US, Israel and Iran across the region today, the agency said in a post on X, adding that it is in “permanent contact” with countries in the area.

“The Agency will keep monitoring the situation and informing,” it said.

@1130 1 hr 47 min ago

"It's always America Last": MTG calls out Trump and Vance after Iran strikes

By Kit Maher

Marjorie Taylor Greene is accusing the Trump administration of abandoning its campaign promises and putting “America Last” by taking military action in Iran.

“America is going to be force fed and gas lighted all the ‘noble’ reasons the American ‘Peace’ President and Pro-Peace administration had to go to war once again this year, after being in power for only a year,” Greene said in a lengthy post on X. “It’s always a lie and it’s always America Last. But it feels like the worst betrayal this time because it comes from the very man and the admin who we all believed was different and said no more.”

Greene, a former staunch Trump ally, remarkably split from the president before her exit from Congress earlier this year. She had repeatedly criticized the president’s focus on foreign issues, which ultimately drew Trump to revoke his endorsement and dub her Marjorie “Traitor” Greene.

The former congresswoman expressed skepticism about Iran being close to obtaining a nuclear weapon, arguing, “We have been spoon fed that line for decades and Trump told us all that his bombing this past summer completely wiped it all out,” referring to Operation Midnight Hammer.

“Thousands and thousands of Americans from my generation have been killed and injured in never ending pointless foreign wars and we said no more. But we are freeing the Iranian people. Please. There are 93 million people in Iran, let them liberate themselves,” Greene wrote.

@1130 1 hr 42 min ago

White House confirms Trump monitored Iran attacks at Mar-A-Lago, spoke with Netanyahu

By Alejandra Jaramillo

President Donald Trump monitored unfolding military operations in Iran overnight from Mar-a-Lago, conferring with senior members of his national security team as the United States began what he described as “major combat operations” against the country, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said today.

Trump also spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the strikes were underway. Israel said it, too, was carrying out attacks against Iran, Leavitt confirmed in a post on social media.

“President Trump monitored the situation overnight at Mar a Lago alongside members of his national security team. The President spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu by phone,” Leavitt wrote.

Leavitt said that prior to the attacks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted congressional leadership to provide notification. Rubio “called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members,” she continued.

“The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day,” Leavitt added.

@1200 55 min ago

Iran strikes shake image of Gulf Arab cities as oases of stability

By Mostafa Salem

Images of smoke rising above Dubai’s glittering skyline have gone viral, puncturing the image of a metropolis long associated with stability and luxury.

Gulf Arab cities such as Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai have long been viewed as islands of stability in a turbulent region, attracting millions of expatriate workers drawn by economic opportunity, relative safety and tax-free income. Foreign nationals make up the vast majority of the population in these cities and form the backbone of their economies.

Iran’s potential targeting of US interests in Gulf Arab states had long been a concern for residents as regional tensions escalated. But the scale and intensity of Iran’s ballistic missile and drone strikes in retaliation for US attacks still left people across the region shaken.

Iran targeted the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar – all countries that host US military forces.

Emergency alerts rang out on the mobile phones of UAE residents, urging people to seek immediate shelter due to “potential missile threats” – an unprecedented directive in a country where such alerts are typically reserved for traffic accidents or rare bouts of severe weather.

With no public bomb shelters available, some people took refuge for hours in underground garages, while others hid under stairwells as loud explosions rang out overhead – what the UAE said were interceptions by air defenses.

By evening, thick plumes of smoke were seen across the Dubai skyline, leaving residents and tourists in a panicked state. A fire was reported at an international hotel chain in Palm Jumeirah, a man-made island that is home to some of the city’s most expensive homes.

A 34-year-old Abu Dhabi resident described a distressed state in her neighborhood, with some friends packing emergency bags “in case they have to leave” the city.

The UAE temporarily shut its airspace on Tuesday.

At supermarkets, people began stocking up, prompting the UAE government to issue a statement reassuring residents of the nation’s “robust” strategic reserves.

“We urge the public to remain reassured and not to be driven by unfounded concerns, excessive purchasing or stockpiling.”

Zeina, a 52-year-old Lebanese mother of seven and resident of Dubai, said she had escaped trauma from Lebanon but is now “reliving it” in the UAE.

“In Lebanon we had shelters, but here we don’t know where to go,” she said.

@1100 2 hr 3 min ago

Democratic congressional leaders call for immediate briefings and vote on Trump's war powers\

By Kaanita Iyer and Ellis Kim

The Democratic leaders of the House and the Senate are calling for the Trump administration to swiftly brief Congress on the US strikes against Iran and for lawmakers to provide a check on President Donald Trump’s military authority abroad without delay.

“Congress must vote on a War Powers resolution immediately,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X.

Jeffries said that Trump “failed to seek Congressional authorization prior to striking Iran. Instead, the President’s decision to abandon diplomacy and launch a massive military attack has left American troops vulnerable to Iran’s retaliatory actions.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer similarly called for the Senate, which returns to Washington on Monday, to “quickly return to session” and “reassert its constitutional duty” by passing a resolution that would curb Trump’s war powers against Iran without lawmakers’ approval.

Schumer said he has implored Secretary of State Marco Rubio “to be straight with Congress and the American people about the objectives of these strikes and what comes next” but said the administration has not provided the public with critical details.

“Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home,” he said in his statement on X. “The administration has not provided Congress and the American people with critical details about the scope and immediacy of the threat.”

Multiple sources told CNN earlier Saturday that although Rubio had notified Gang of Eight members, they were not given a full accounting of the legal justification for the strikes.

@1130 1 hr 46 min ago

US State Department launches task force to assist US citizens in Middle East

By Jennifer Hansler

The US State Department has launched a task force to assist US citizens in Middle East and support diplomatic efforts after US and Israeli military action against Iran that triggered retaliatory strikes across the region, according to a State Department official and another source familiar with the matter.

The Department has stood up task forces in the past during periods of major instability. They have at times helped to facilitate evacuation travel for US citizens in affected areas, particularly when commercial travel options are suspended.

The State Department has not yet begun such US-facilitated evacuations in the Middle East. The majority of embassies in the region have urged Americans to shelter in place.

@1130 1 hr 32 min ago

Netanyahu spoke with Trump on the phone today, Israel says

By Dana Karni and Max Saltman

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Donald Trump via phone this morning, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

The office released a heavily manipulated image of Netanyahu speaking on the phone at a desk, with a map of the Middle East under his arms.

Conspicuously placed at Netanyahu’s left hand lies a copy of “Allies At War,” a recent work of history about World War II and the British, American and Soviet alliance against the Nazis.

This post has been updated with additional details about the image of Netanyahu.

@1100 2 hr 4 min ago

CNN analyst: "No serious argument" that US attacks are legal

By Dan Berman

It’s unclear what legal justification the White House will present for the attacks on Iran, but experts are already skeptical given the Constitution’s unambiguous statement that only Congress can declare war and the absence of a law akin to the Iraq War-era Authorization for Use of Military Force.

“As has so often been the case with unilateral presidential uses of force in recent years, there’s no serious argument that either Congress by statute or the Constitution directly authorizes the president to do what he’s done,” said Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown University Law Center.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio didn’t give members of Congress a full accounting of the legal justification for the attacks on Iran, multiple sources say.

For its Iran strikes last summer, the White House said Trump relied on Article II of the US Constitution, which says he has power to direct US military forces in engagements necessary to advance American national interests abroad.

“The Justice Department has come up with an increasingly dubious series of arguments in attempts to defend such strikes, but virtually all of those arguments have depended on assertions that the strikes were limited and unlikely to lead to a broader conflict,” Vladeck said. “Even if that were a legal argument, rather than a policy one, it’s hard to take that remotely seriously here.”

@1100 1 hr 58 min ago

Iran targets seven countries with missiles and drones

By CNN staff

Iran said it targeted US military facilities in several countries in the Persian Gulf, as well as sending barrages of missiles toward Israel, after the US and Israel began strikes against Iranian military and government targets on Saturday morning local time.

The sound of explosions reverberated in several countries across the region as missile defenses were deployed to intercept the incoming missiles. There were also several drone attacks by Iran.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait, al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the US naval base in Bahrain have been targeted. Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base in Jordan was also targeted, according to Iranian state media, as well as a US base in northern Iraq.

Iran launched “dozens” of ballistic missiles toward Israel, according to Nour News, an outlet affiliated with the IRGC. Israel said about 40 ballistic missiles had been fired by midafternoon local time. Some slight injuries were reported.

A number of missiles were intercepted over the United Arab Emirates, but debris from one killed an Asian national in Abu Dhabi, according to the UAE’s official news agency. A fire broke out in the upscale tourism area of the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, injuring four people, according to the Dubai Media Office. It’s unclear whether the fire was started by a direct impact or by falling debris.

One missile impacted a US navy facility in Bahrain. Later Saturday, an Iranian drone struck a military facility in Bahrain.

Qatar’s Defense Ministry said all three rounds of Iranian missiles targeting the emirate had been intercepted.

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Eastern Province were also targeted by Iranian missiles, the official Saudi Press Agency said. The kingdom described the attacks as “cowardly,” without giving details of damage.

Jordan said its air defenses had intercepted two ballistic missiles.

Kuwait also said Iranian missiles were intercepted over an air base in the emirate. Later Saturday, an Iranian drone struck the country’s international airport, injuring several people.

@1100 2hr 27 min ago

Several senior figures killed in strikes targeting meetings of Iranian leaders, Israeli military official says

By Jeremy Diamond

“Several” senior figures in Iran were killed in a set of targeted strikes in the opening salvo of the joint US-Israel strikes, according to an Israeli military official.

The official did not provide information on which senior leaders had been killed in the strikes. CNN previously reported that there was growing optimism in Israel about the attacks, which targeted the Supreme Leader and other top figures in the regime, even though there was no final confirmation about whether Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and others had been killed.

The senior leaders were targeted simultaneously at three sites where they were holding meetings, the military official said

“The attack was based on an operational plan developed over several months, centered on an intelligence effort by the Intelligence Directorate to identify an operational opportunity at the moment when senior regime officials would convene,” the official said.

@1100 2 hr 28 min ago

US military repositioned certain Middle East assets prior to strikes on Iran

By Josh Campbell

The US military began withdrawing and repositioning certain personnel and hardware from various Middle East locations in the weeks before President Donald Trump gave the formal approval for strikes on Iran, according to sources familiar with the operation.

In anticipation of retaliation for any possible strikes, US Central Command began implementing its “continuity of operations” plans in order to move some forces, aircraft, and Navy vessels in the region out of harm’s way, sources said.

The Department of Defense routinely conducts continuity exercises to plan for the ability to maintain operations amid possible threats from enemy forces and natural disasters.

A similar repositioning of some forces occurred during the so-called 12-Day War last year between Israel and Iran and the subsequent US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Those previous operations provided the US military with important “lessons learned” on how to conduct offensive operations while many supporting forces operated remotely rather than within striking range of Iranian forces, sources said.

Public flight records suggest the drawdown continued even as the strikes began early Saturday, with at least one US Navy troop transport jet seen on radar departing Bahrain for Europe amid the first reports of explosions in Tehran.

@1100 2 hr 31 min ago

Israel launches another round of strikes in Iran

By Tal Shalev

The Israeli military has launched another set of strikes on Iran, targeting more missile launchers, according to a statement by an IDF spokesperson.

An Israeli military official said earlier today that the US and Israel had worked together to build a “valuable and extensive target bank,” and that the number of potential targets has multiplied in recent months.

@1030 2 hr 46 min ago

GOP Rep. Thomas Massie says Iran strikes are not "America First”

By Julia Benbrook

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, said the US strikes against Iran are “not ‘America first.’”

“I am opposed to this War. This is not ‘America First,’” Massie wrote on X Saturday morning, suggesting the president’s actions don’t align with his campaign promise and his base’s wish to avoid foreign entanglements.

The conservative Kentucky Republican, who’s been a thorn in the president’s side and is facing a Trump-backed primary challenger, renewed his calls for congressional authorization for military action in Iran.

“When Congress reconvenes, I will work with @RepRoKhanna to force a Congressional vote on war with Iran,” Massie wrote. “The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war.”

Khanna criticized Trump’s actions as “an illegal regime change war in Iran” and echoed calls for Congress to vote on their war powers resolution.

Massie and his Democratic colleague from California last year worked together to force a House vote on the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

@1030 2 hr 27 min ago

Saudi says Iran carried out "cowardly" attack on Riyadh and eastern region

By Mostafa Salem

Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Eastern Province were targeted in an attack by Iran today, Saudi state run news agency SPA said.

The kingdom described the attacks as “cowardly” adding that Iranian authorities were aware that Saudi Arabia had “affirmed it would not permit the use of its airspace or territory to target Iran.”

“In light of this unjustified aggression, the Kingdom affirms that it will take all necessary measures to defend its security and protect its territory, citizens, and residents, including the option of responding to the aggression.”

This is the first confirmation from Saudi Arabia, a major regional rival of Iran, that it was hit in Tehran’s retaliation to US and Israeli strikes.

Correction: A previous version of this post misstated the day of the attack, which took place Saturday.

@1000 2 hr 53 min ago

UN Secretary-General calls for "immediate cessation of hostilities"

By Catherine Nicholls

António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, has condemned today’s “military escalation in the Middle East” in a post on X.

“The use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran across the region, undermine international peace and security,” he wrote.

“I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation. Failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability. I strongly encourage all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table,” Guterres added.

@1000 2 hr 52 min ago

Rubio was able to reach seven of the “Gang of Eight” prior to the US-Israeli strikes

By Jennifer Hansler and Alayna Treene

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio made calls to all “Gang of Eight” members to give them a heads up on the US and Israeli strikes on Iran ahead of time, but was only able to reach seven of the eight lawmakers, a US official said.

The “Gang of Eight,” is made up of the congressional leaders from each party and the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Intelligence committees.

Rubio successfully connected with seven of the eight but one was unreachable, according to the official.

The official also pointed to Tuesday’s briefing to the Gang of Eight, where the official said Rubio “laid out the situation” and consulted with members.

The Department of Defense also provided notifications to the Armed Services Committees early this morning after strikes had commenced, the official said.

Multiple sources told CNN earlier Saturday that although Rubio had given notifications to some Gang of Eight members, they were not given a full accounting of the legal justification for the strikes.

@1000 2 hr 43 min ago

Iranian governor says toll rises in strike on school

By CNN staff

More now on the strike that Iranian officials claim killed dozens at a girls’ school in southern Iran on Saturday.

Mohammad Radmehr, the governor of Mindab county, where the purported strike took place, said the toll had risen to at least 63 students with a further 92 injured. Others were still trapped under the rubble, he added.

“The destroyed building is a primary school for girls in the south of Iran. It was bombed in broad daylight, when packed with young pupils,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragghchi in a post on X.

CNN has geolocated video from the scene to the Shajaba Tayyiba School in Southern Minab. It sits about 200 feet from an Iranian military base, and previously appears to have been part of the base, but satellite imagery shows that it has been separated from the base since at least 2016.

Asked about the strike, CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins said “we are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations. We take these reports seriously and are looking into them. The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimize the risk of unintended harm.”

CNN has also approached the Israeli military for comment.

This post has been updated with additional information.

@1000 3 hr 1 min ago

Long lines of cars have been stuck in traffic trying to leave Tehran

By CNN staff

Images from the Iranian capital have shown cars jammed along Tehran’s street, with heavy traffic on major roads after today’s wave of attacks by the US and Israel:

@1000 2 hr 51 min ago

Iran's Supreme Leader alive "as far as I know," foreign minister tells NBC

By Sophie Tanno

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, is alive “as far as I know,” speaking in an interview with NBC following US and Israeli strikes.

“Almost all officials are safe and sound and alive,” Araghchi said, speaking to the broadcaster live from Tehran. “We may have lost one or two commanders but that is not a big problem.”

It is not yet known who was killed in the strikes on Iran. Israeli sources told CNN there was optimism surrounding them but no confirmation Khamenei was killed.

Araghchi said that he had spoken to “colleagues” in the Persian Gulf, to tell them Iran had no intention of attacking them but were targeting US bases as an act of self defense.

Araghchi criticized the US for engaging in negotiations with Iran, and then launching an attack. The United States and Iran concluded their third round of talks in Geneva on Thursday.

The foreign minister said Iran was interested in deescalation. “There is no communication right now, but if America wants to talk to us, they know how they can contact me.”

@1000 3 hr 10 min ago

Iran's weapons systems are capable of striking all of the Middle East

By Lou Robinson and Mostafa Salem

Iran is believed to have thousands of missiles and drones capable of striking the entire region, according to previous analysis of the regime’s weapons systems.

@1000 3 hr 10 min ago

British planes "in the sky" in Middle East, says Starmer

By Christian Edwards

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said British planes are “in the sky” in the Middle East to participate in coordinated defensive efforts to protect the country’s interest and allies.

In a televised address on Saturday, Starmer stressed that Britain “played no role” in the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, but added that his country’s forces were active in the region.

“British planes are in the sky today as part of coordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests, and our allies,” Starmer said.

He called on Iran to refrain from further strikes across the Middle East, give up its weapons program and stop the “appalling violence and repression against the Iranian people.”

@1000 2 hr 45 min ago

Senate GOP leader praises Trump's military action and looks forward to a full briefing

By Kit Maher

Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Saturday praised President Donald Trump for taking military action to subvert what he said were clear threats posed by Iran.

Tehran, he said, had “refused the diplomatic off-ramps” presented by the administration before the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

“For years, Iran’s relentless nuclear ambitions, its expanded ballistic missile inventory, and its unwavering support for terror groups in the region have posed a clear and unacceptable threat to U.S. servicemembers, citizens in the region, and many of our allies. Despite the dogged efforts of the president and his administration, the Iranian regime has refused the diplomatic off-ramps that would peacefully resolve these national security concerns. I commend President Trump for taking action to thwart these threats,” Thune said in a statement on X.

Thune also thanked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whom he said provided updates to him throughout the week, adding that he looks forward to an all-senator briefing.

“I thank Secretary Rubio for providing updates on these issues throughout the week, and I look forward to administration officials briefing all senators about these military operations,” Thune said.

CNN previously reported that Rubio had notified at least some of the members of the “Gang of Eight” in advance of the strikes — including Thune — but they were not given a full accounting of the legal justification, multiple sources familiar with the matter said.

On Thursday, Thune told reporters he supported “getting new leadership and regime change” in Iran through US military action.

“If you’re going to take some sort of action, I think you want to achieve a result that actually brings about the transformational change that I think we want in the region,” Thune said.

This post has been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Ted Barrett contributed to this report.

@0930 3 hr 32 min ago

Russia condemns "reckless" airstrikes on Iran, as Finland and Ireland express concern

By Catherine Nicholls

Russia’s foreign ministry has released a statement condemning the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran earlier today, calling the attacks a “reckless step” and a “deliberate, premeditated, and unprovoked act of armed aggression.”

As we’ve been reporting, leaders of countries around the world are reacting to the developments, with some expressing concern that today’s events will lead to wider regional instability.

· Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X that “it is important that the United States is acting decisively. Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken. This understanding must also come to the Russians.” He added that he expects that “in the end, the Middle East region will become safer and more stable.”

· Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that “recent events in the Middle East are deeply worrying,” adding that “ensuring nuclear safety and long-term security in the region is of utmost importance to all of us.” Finland “condemns all actions that seek to escalate the conflict in the region and urge for utmost restraint,” he added.

· Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin wrote that he is “deeply concerned by developments in Iran and the real potential that exists for escalation and wider conflict in the region,” urging “all parties to exercise restraint and to work to avoid that outcome.”

· Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that the strikes on Iran have “doubled the importance of the Friendship oil pipeline,” which runs through Ukraine and supplies Russian crude oil to his country. Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary and ⁠Slovakia have been cut off since late January, when Kyiv says a Russian drone strike hit pipeline equipment in Western Ukraine.

· Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama said his country “stand(s) firm with Israel” and “support(s) the United States” in their actions today. “We fully endorse every decisive effort to prevent once and for all the murderers in Tehran from acquiring nuclear or any other military capacity to harm Israel or any other peace-loving nation in the Middle East,” he said.

· The E3, which consists of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, said that it is in “close contact with our international partners, including the United States, Israel, and partners in the region.” The countries also condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks on countries in the Middle East and reiterated their “commitment to regional stability and to the protection of civilian life.”

CNN’s Sebastian Shukla contributed to this reporting.

@0930 3 hr 28 min ago

Speaker Johnson: Trump made "every effort to pursue peaceful and diplomatic solutions"

By Camila DeChalus

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Saturday morning that Iran is now “facing the severe consequences of its evil actions.”

“President Trump and the Administration have made every effort to pursue peaceful and diplomatic solutions in response to the Iranian regime’s sustained nuclear ambitions, support for terrorism, and the murder of Americans — and even their own people,” Johnson wrote on X.

He added that Iran has repeatedly threatened American lives by undermining “our core national interests, systematically destabilizing the Middle East, and jeopardizing the security of the broader West.”

Johnson said the “Gang of Eight” — the top lawmakers from both parties who serve on congressional intelligence committees and party leadership — had been briefed “in detail earlier this week that military action may become necessary to protect American troops and American citizens in Iran.”

“I received updates from Secretary Rubio thereafter, and I will remain in close contact with the President and the Department of War as this operation proceeds,” the Republican leader said.

@1000 2 hr 57 min ago

Optimism in Israel about strikes targeting Iranian leaders, sources say, but no confirmation on Supreme Leader

By Tal Shalev, Jim Sciutto and Jeremy Diamond

Optimism is growing in Israel about the opening salvo of strikes that targeted Iranian leaders, according to three Israeli sources, but there is no confirmation yet about whether the strikes killed the country’s Supreme Leader or other top officials.

One of the sources said the strikes were carried out during the daytime because Israel believed the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei felt less vulnerable during daylight hours. Another source said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was receiving regular intelligence updates about the possibility that Khamenei and others were killed in the strikes.

CNN previously reported that the strikes on Saturday morning targeted Khamenei, as well as military chief of staff Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi, and President Masoud Pezeshkian, and others.

The sources say there is still no confirmation about whether the strikes killed any of the country’s senior leaders.

@0930 3 hr 33 min ago

US-backed broadcasting agency says it's transmitting Trump's message into Iran

By Kevin Liptak

The American government-run broadcasting agency says it’s been transmitting President Donald Trump’s message to Iranians to overthrow their government into the country.

The US Agency for Global Media wrote on social media it had boosted the capacity of Voice of America’s Persian language service in recent months and was using satellite technology to transmit inside Iran.

“VOAFarsi has significantly expanded in recent months and is delivering President Trump’s message directly to the brave people of Iran across every available platform, including satellite,” the group wrote.

Overall, Trump has overseen massive cuts to VOA, whose parent agency is led by Kari Lake, a onetime news anchor who ran for office in Arizona in 2022 and 2024.

Internet and cellular connectivity inside Iran has been frequently cut off by the regime, making communications difficult. Direct transmissions using satellites could skirt those blackouts. During protests last month, the US worked to expand use of Starlink transponders inside Iran as a way around the regime’s restrictions.

Still, even with the US efforts to convey Trump’s message, it wasn’t clear how widely his calls for regime change would be heard.

In his overnight video message, Trump encouraged Iranians to “take over your government” once the US military operation concludes. He also called on regime forces to surrender.

@0930 3 hr 32 min ago

Trump not expected to deliver any more formal remarks today

By Kristen Holmes, Alayna Treene and Kevin Liptak

President Donald Trump is not expected to deliver any more formal public remarks on the strikes in Iran today, White House officials say, while cautioning that could change.

Trump addressed the strikes in a roughly eight-minute long video posted to this Truth Social, and he also had a brief phone call with a Washington Post reporter. he is known to spontaneously field reporters’ calls.

But as of now, the officials say Trump is not expected to speak again. Trump’s public schedule lists events for the conservative Super PAC Maga Inc. later this evening.

@0900 3 hr 53 min ago

Locations in Iran and across the Middle East that have been targeted so far

By Lou Robinson, Renée Rigdon and Lauren Kent

Several cities inside Iran have been hit by US and Israeli attacks this morning, largely in the center and northwest of the country, according to Iranian state-run media.

Here are the locations we know have been struck so far:

Notably, a satellite image has captured black smoke rising from the compound of Iran’s supreme leader in the capital Tehran. More than a building, it is the nerve center of Iran’s theocratic regime. It’s unclear if Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was in the compound at the time.

Here is where Iran has targeted in retaliation

Video geolocated by CNN shows the moment a missile struck a US Navy base in Bahrain.

Meanwhile, explosions — some of which appear to have been intercepted missiles — have been heard by CNN teams in Israel, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

@0900 4 hr 2 min ago

Why Iran is so attached to its nuclear program

By Abbas Al Lawati

Much of the US-Iran disagreement centers on Iran’s insistence on enriching uranium on its own soil. Uranium is a fuel used in nuclear power plants, but when enriched to very high levels, it can be used to make a nuclear weapon.

Iran argues that it has the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, and that it should not be singled out or denied technology that other nations possess.

The US recognizes Iran’s right to civilian nuclear power, but it doesn’t trust Tehran’s assurances that its enrichment program will remain peaceful.

Here’s what may be driving Iran’s refusal to budge:

National pride and sovereignty

For Tehran, the nuclear program is about its identity as a modern nation. Iran is a country of 92 million people with a 2,500-year-old civilization that once rivaled the ancient Greeks and Romans. Its historical self-image is that of a major civilizational power, not a peripheral state that can be pressured by other countries.

Mastering nuclear technology therefore isn’t merely a technical achievement but proof of Iran’s sovereignty and advancement to the level of global powers.

“If Iran abandoned enrichment entirely, hardliners would likely frame it as surrender, especially if sanctions relief were limited,” said Sanam Vakil, of London-based think tank Chatham House.

Deterrence and leverage

Even if Iran is sincere in its declarations that it will never pursue a bomb, enrichment provides it powerful strategic leverage as a nuclear threshold state – one with the capability to build a weapon should it choose to. In Tehran’s thinking, its ability to change its mind at short notice is a way to prevent coercion or attack from its adversaries.

Iran demonstrated this after Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement, gradually enriching uranium to levels far beyond what is required for civilian power generation. The implicit message to Washington was clear: the 2015 deal placed internationally verifiable limits on Iran’s enrichment, and without it, those limits no longer applied.

But that strategy backfired. Instead of getting Washington to return to an agreement, it ultimately prompted a surprise Israeli attack in June 2025 and the first direct American military strikes on Iranian territory.

The 12-day summer war “likely forced Tehran to reassess this assumption,” said Danny Citrinowicz, senior researcher in the Iran and the Shiite Axis Program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Israel. “The scale and precision of US and Israeli strikes demonstrated that threshold status does not immunize Iran from military action.”

Still, Tehran is unlikely to give up on its nuclear program, said Danny Citrinowicz, senior researcher in the Iran and the Shiite Axis Program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Israel. From its perspective, “abandoning the nuclear program outright would expose Iran to future coercion and possible attack.”

@0900 4 hr 8 min ago

Democratic senator calls for lawmakers' immediate return to curb Trump's war powers

New Jersey Democratic Sen. Andy Kim on Saturday called for lawmakers to return to Washington and immediately pass a war powers resolution that would limit the president’s authority to carry out additional military action against Iran without congressional approval.

“Right now, I have zero confidence in this president who has so flagrantly violated our Constitution. That is why we should have Congress immediately go back into session for the War Powers vote to reassert the American people’s will, which, again, they don’t want to be at war,” Kim, who sits on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

He continued: “I’m ready to go right back to the Senate today. I think we should be having Congress immediately in session to review this.”

Kim joins Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, a key lawmaker behind the war powers effort, in calling on Capitol Hill to demand congressional approval for future US military action.

@0900 4 hr 10 min ago

Daylight attack, days after diplomatic talks, would have likely caught Iranian leadership off guard

Analysis by Nic Robertson and Lauren Kent

The decision by the US and Israel to conduct its strike in the morning rather than overnight, and just days after positive signals emerged from the diplomatic process, would have likely been deliberately designed to catch the Iranian leadership off guard.

CNN’s International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson said the morning attack would have come as a surprise, given that last year, when Israel struck Iran’s nuclear, missile and military infrastructure, the strikes came in the early morning hours and overnight.

Iran’s leadership – who just days ago were engaging in indirect diplomatic talks with US officials, mediated by Oman in Switzerland – would have likely woken up on Saturday thinking they had staved off conflict for another day.

This tactical suprise would have been enhanced by an atmosphere of understanding that diplomacy was still in play.

Less than a day ago, Oman’s foreign minister said in a social media post that “a peace agreement between the US and Iran is now within reach.” Following the strikes on Saturday morning, Oman said it was “dismayed” that negotiations have been undermined.

It’s also notable that the strikes come on the first day of the working week in Iran, Saturday, meaning that most adults would have been at work and children at school.

@0900 4 hr 13 min ago

A renewed conflict may expose just how weak Iran is

Analysis by Nick Paton Walsh

Early indications are of an intensely planned decapitation strike by the US and Israel — one that has caused Iran to escalate almost as hard as it can with a wave of missiles against US bases across the region.

It remains unclear who from Iran’s leadership has been hit. Assurances of the health of top leadership abound, but Israel’s success at decimating Tehran’s security in last year’s 12-day war would suggest they wouldn’t go for it again without thinking similar brutal efficiency was possible.

The ferocity of Iran’s response — from what is surely a less brimming arsenal than they would like — might suggest they have suffered some loss at high levels but also want to get missiles in the air while they still can.

They may magically have a much larger collection of medium and longer-range missiles than previously thought, and Israel has pushed the idea of a swiftly reconstituted program. But it is more likely that they are still weak from the conflict last year, and it’s important to remember that this weakness does not disappear because of the retaliation against US targets.

Details of exactly what has been hit across Iran are still coming through, but government buildings are clearly among the targets, and during the 12-day war Israel hit individual rooms, in individual apartment blocks. It’s unlikely, in the chaos after that war, that the Israelis did not amplify their intelligence gathering efforts and may indeed have a better picture of who is doing what in the Iranian security apparatus then they had before.

Where does this leave the war now? US forces in the region are not built for a weekslong, sustained campaign, or the possibility of a full-on war to physically dislodge the Iranian regime. “Several days” is not very long in relative terms. And so we may see a continued set of strikes, hitting specific targets, and then a pause — perhaps a hint that negotiations, if swift, might end the violence.

The extent and continued nature of Iran’s response, in the days ahead, will elucidate whether or not they truly have the hidden strength Israel claims, or are desperately weak and increasingly exposed as such.

@0900 4 hr ago

UAE warns of challenges ahead amid "historic moment" in Middle East

By Mostafa Salem

The current conflict in the Middle East is a “historic moment filled with a lot of challenges,” a top official from the United Arab Emirates told CNN, adding that his country and others in the region had “failed” to ensure regional stability.

“Our part is to work together with the United States and neighbors like Iran in order to ensure the stability and security of the region… clearly this time we have failed,” Anwar Gargash, the UAE president’s adviser, told CNN’s Becky Anderson.

He said his country and others in the region were working “very hard” to avert this war.

In the first remarks by a Gulf official, Gargash said that the UAE, which was targeted by Iran on Saturday in response to strikes by the US and Israel, does not “totally understand” how this war will develop, and called for a return to negotiations.

“We are extremely, extremely dismayed and condemn Iran’s enlargement of this conflict to include neighbors… but I think at the same time we all understand that the region has to be spared of a military confrontation of dimensions that we don’t totally understand,” he added.

Gargash said the UAE was not given prior notice of a military operation, but expected it based on the outcome of the US-Iran negotiations.

Gargash said while the Iranian nuclear and missile programs posed a threat to regional stability, they had to be addressed through a “political process” and negotiations.

@0830 4 hr 28 min ago

The US and Israel struck Iran this morning, prompting swift retaliation. Catch up here

By Catherine Nicholls

The United States and Israel carried out strikes on cities across Iran this morning, quickly prompting reaction from Tehran that has resulted in attacks across the Middle East.

If you’re just joining us, here’s what you need to know about what’s gone on so far today:

· Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said this morning that his country had conducted a “preemptive strike” against Iran. A short while later, US President Donald Trump said Washington had also begun a military campaign in the country.

· Israel’s strikes targeted senior Iranian figures, two Israeli sources familiar with the operation told CNN. Satellite imagery showed black smoke rising from the compound of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Damage seen in the image appears to show that several buildings in the compound were hit by strikes.

· Iranian state media reported at least 57 students were killed in a strike that hit a girls’ school in southern Iran. CNN is unable to independently verify the reports and has reached out to the US and Israel for comment.

· Swiftly after the strikes began, Iranian state-affiliated media said that Tehran was “preparing for revenge and a crushing response to the Zionist regime.” Approximately two hours after the US and Israeli strikes began, the first warning of incoming missiles sounded in Israel.

· In the hours since, explosions have been heard in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, all of which have US military bases. Explosions have also been heard over Tel Aviv, Israel and Dubai, UAE.

· One person was killed by falling debris after air defenses intercepted Iranian missiles targeting sites in Abu Dhabi, the state-run WAM news agency said.

· US embassies in countries across the Middle East called for Americans abroad to shelter-in-place, including in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan.

· Leaders across the world have responded to the developments, with some US allies - including the European Union, France and Spain - expressing concern over the US-Israeli action and Iran’s response.

CNN’s Oren Liebermann, Kevin Liptak, Todd Symons, Brad Lendon, Gianluca Mezzofiore, Lauren Kent, Tim Lister, Mostafa Salem, Samantha Waldenberg, Tal Shalev, Jeremy Diamond, Adam Pourahmadi, Tala Alrajjal and Michelle Velez contributed to this reporting.

@0830 4 hr 29 min ago

Iranian state media claims dozens of students killed in strike on school during US-Israel attack

By Tim Lister and Adam Pourahmadi

Iranian state media is claiming that dozens of students were killed in a strike that hit a girls’ school in southern Iran on Saturday.

At least 57 students were killed with dozens of others buried under rubble, the Mehr news outlet reported. The county governor of Minab, Hormozgan, where the purported strike took place, had said earlier that 24 students were killed.

CNN is unable to independently verify the reports and has reached out to the US and Israeli militaries for comment. The Pentagon said it had nothing to at this time.

“The US & Israel launched an egregious, unwarranted act of aggression against Iran by indiscriminately targeting Iranian cities,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmael Baqaie, who claimed that “tens of innocent young girls” had been killed and maimed at the school in Minab.

Another Iranian news agency posted video purporting to show extensive damage to the school, with smoke rising from the building, as well as cranes lifting debris.

Saturday is the first day of the school week in Iran.

Two high-school students were killed in a separate missile attack in Tehran, according to Iranian media outlets.

@0830 4 hr 34 min ago

Top Senate Democrat says Iran strikes raise "serious legal and constitutional concerns"

By Samantha Waldenberg

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the US and Israeli strikes in Iran raise “serious legal and constitutional concerns.”

“The Constitution is clear: the decision to take this nation to war rests with Congress, and launching large-scale military operations – particularly in the absence of an imminent threat to the United States – raises serious legal and constitutional concerns,” he said in a statement Saturday.

CNN previously reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio notified some of the members of the “Gang of Eight” in advance of the strikes — including Warner — but they were not given a full accounting of the legal justification, multiple sources familiar with the matter said.

“Congress must be fully briefed, and the administration must come forward with a clear legal justification, a defined end state, and a plan that avoids dragging the United States into yet another costly and unnecessary war,” Warner added in his statement.

@0800 4 hr 54 min ago

In photos: Strikes across Iran, Israel and Bahrain

By CNN's Digital Photo Team

The US and Israel launched strikes across Iran Saturday, following what the Israeli military said was “months of joint planning.” The US is planning for several days of attacks, sources tell CNN.

Iran has launched its own retaliatory strikes across the Middle East. Explosions were reported in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and in Dubai, where all flights to and from airports have been suspended.

@0830 4 hr 29 min ago

Oil tankers avoid Strait of Hormuz after US-Israeli strikes on Iran

By Sophie Tanno

Some oil tankers were avoiding sailing through the Strait of Hormuz – located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman – on Saturday following US-Israeli strikes on Iran, vessel-tracking data seen by CNN showed.

Other vessels though were continuing to sail through the waterway, which is the only way to ship crude oil from the oil-rich Persian Gulf to the rest of the world, data from Marine Traffic showed. Meanwhile, some ships had begun to pile up on either side of the strait.

Trading sources told Reuters that some oil companies had suspended their shipments via the waterway amid the attacks and retaliatory Iranian strikes.

@0800 4 hr 55 min ago

Key lines from Trump's overnight video announcing “massive and ongoing” military operation

By Samantha Waldenberg

In a video posted on social media overnight, President Donald Trump described the US military campaign in Iran as “massive and ongoing,” warned American lives may be lost and called on Iranians to “take over your government.”

“The United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests,” the president said in the message. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.”

Trump also accused Tehran of working to rebuild its nuclear program after massive US strikes last summer that he previously said had obliterated the facilities. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

The strikes come with political risk at home for Trump, who warned that US lives could be lost in the operation.

“The Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties. That often happens in war, but we’re doing this not for now. We’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission.”

Trump also appeared to call for regime change in Iran, saying in part that Iranians should “take over your government.”

“To the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand,” the president said.

“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations,” he said.

This post has been updated with additional lines from Trump’s remarks.

@0830 4 hr 29 min ago

Five explosions heard in Dubai, UAE

By Tala Alrajjal, Michelle Velez and Lauren Kent

Five explosions were just heard by CNN’s staff in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Four of those explosions were very loud.

It is unclear if the explosions were from strikes, intercepts by the UAE’s air defense systems or something else.

Dubai is the UAE’s commercial and tourism hub and is not home to any known US military facilities.

A video taken by one CNN staff member shows smoke rising from an area near Dubai’s Jabal Ali port, a major global shipping and logistics hub.

A separate video obtained by CNN shows what appears to be an explosion from an intercept.

@0800 5 hr 11 min ago

US-Israeli strikes are "wholly unprovoked, illegal, illegitimate," Iran's FM says

By Sophie Tanno

Iran’s foreign minister has condemned US-Israeli strikes on Iran today as unprovoked and illegal.

“(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and (US President Donald) Trump’s war on Iran is wholly unprovoked, illegal, and illegitimate,” foreign minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.

“Trump has turned ‘America First’ into ‘Israel First’—which always means ‘America Last,’” he continued.

Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces will “teach the aggressors the lesson they deserve.”

@0800 5 hr 19 min ago

At least some "Gang of Eight" congressional leaders were notified before the strikes

By Zachary Cohen, Manu Raju and Alayna Treene

Secretary of State Marco Rubio notified at least some members of the “Gang of Eight” in advance of the strikes in Iran — but they were not given a full accounting of the legal justification, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN.

Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe had delivered a classified briefing to the Gang of Eight congressional leaders earlier in the week, and some emerged saying the administration should make the case publicly for strikes.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Intelligence Vice Chairman Mark Warner all received a heads up, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Earlier this week, members of the Gang of Eight – the top lawmakers from both parties who serve on congressional intelligence committees, as well as party leadership – asked that they be notified before any strikes.

@0800 5 hr 9 min ago

"Treacherous": US' Middle East allies respond after strikes from Tehran

By CNN's Dalia Abdelwahab

Video geolocated by CNN shows the moment a missile struck the US Navy base in Bahrain. From Social Media

We can bring you more responses now from a number of Arab and Middle Eastern nations in the aftermath of retaliatory Iranian strikes on US bases in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Bahrain, following the joint US-Israeli operation that took place within Iran Saturday morning.

As we reported earlier, Qatar characterized the strikes as a “flagrant violation of its national sovereignty,” further suggesting they demonstrate a lack of gratitude from Tehran towards Doha’s continued mediation efforts.

Here are some further regional responses:

Kuwait raised Article 51 of the United Nations Charter in an Arabic-language post on X, confirming that “Kuwait’s air defenses successfully repelled this aggression in accordance with the approved operational procedures and in line with the applicable rules of engagement”.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said he is “dismayed” on X, continuing “I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war.”

Saudi Arabia described Iran’s operation as “treacherous” in an Arabic-language post on X, adding it would be “employing all capabilities at [the impacted nations’] disposal to support them in any measures they take.” The post ended with a call on the international community to follow suit in denouncing the attacks.

Iraq announced it is following the situation with “utmost concern” in an Arabic-language post to X, directing Iraqi citizens within and near strike locations to seek shelter.

Eyad Kourdi contributed to this report

@0800 5 hr 22 min ago

More international leaders react to strikes on Iran, with some US allies condemning action

By Catherine Nicholls

More world leaders have reacted to the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran, which prompted retaliation from Tehran across the Middle East. The leaders of some US allies, including France and Spain, have expressed concern over the action.

· The presidents of the European Council and the European Union, António Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, called the strikes “greatly concerning,” urging “all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law” in separate posts on X.

· France’s President Emmanuel Macron said that “the outbreak of war between the United States, Israel, and Iran carries grave consequences for international peace and security.” He wrote on X that “the ongoing escalation is dangerous for all. It must stop,” calling on Iran to “to engage in good faith in negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic programs, as well as its regional destabilization activities.”

· Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that his country “reject(s) the unilateral military action of the United States and Israel, which constitutes an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order.” He said that Spain also “reject(s) the actions of the Iranian regime and the Revolutionary Guard,” adding: “we cannot afford another prolonged and devastating war in the Middle East.”

· Cuba’s foreign minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla said that his country “condemns” the US and Israeli attacks, writing on X that “these irresponsible actions breach international peace and security and constitute a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter.”

· Belgium’s foreign minister Maxime Prevot said on X that his country “deeply regret(s) that diplomatic efforts could not lead earlier to a negotiated solution,” but also said that Belgium “understand(s) the profound security imperatives and the prolonged frustration with Iran’s refusal to engage constructively that have driven this course of action.”

· Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that his country “supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security,” also writing that “Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East.”

· Japan’s foreign ministry said that the “situation in the Middle East has a significant impact on Japan, including from the perspective of energy security,” adding that the Japanese government “is closely monitoring the developments with great concern.”

· Russian diplomat Mikhail Ulyanov said in a post on X that “the new aggression of Israel and the US against Iran is fraught with the danger of significant deterioration and destabilization in the Middle East.”

Take a look at some of the earlier reactions we reported on here.

CNN’s Maeva Labbe-Maalouf, Pierre Bairin, Paula Hancocks and James Frater contributed to this reporting.

@0800 4 hr 57 min ago

"Dangerous, unnecessary and idiotic": Democrat behind War Powers effort condemns Iran strikes

By Samantha Waldenberg and Jeff Zeleny

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine denounced the Iran strikes in a statement Saturday as “dangerous, unnecessary, and idiotic.”

“These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives,” Kaine said.

The Virginia Democrat has repeatedly pushed efforts in the Senate to curb the president’s military authority abroad. He swiftly called for lawmakers to return to Washington to again vote on limiting the president’s authority without congressional approval.

“The Senate should immediately return to session and vote on my War Powers Resolution to block the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran. Every single Senator needs to go on the record about this dangerous, unnecessary, and idiotic action,” Kaine added.

Kaine had pushed a measure to limit the president’s war powers in Venezuela following last month’s military operation there.

@0730 5 hr 35 min ago

Israeli military warns of another wave of incoming missiles from Iran

By Oren Liebermann

The Israeli military warned of another wave of incoming missiles from Iran, at least the sixth such warning since the US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran on Saturday morning.

The general warning will be followed by a specific alert for areas that could potentially be hit.

“In the past few minutes, the Home Front Command has sent a precautionary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. “The public is asked to act responsibly and follow the instructions—they save lives.”

@0730 5 hr 41 min ago

Iran strikes Abu Dhabi

By CNN staff

Video captures smoke rising from buildings in Abu Dhabi after the UAE Ministry of Defense said it had intercepted a “blatant attack involving Iranian ballistic missiles.” CNN’s Paula Hancocks reports.

@0830 4 hr 42 min ago

Trump's at Mar-a-Lago — a familiar venue for managing high-stakes operations

By Kevin Liptak

President Donald Trump oversaw the start of what he called “major combat operations” in Iran from inside Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate that has become a familiar crucible of high-stakes, top-secret activity that results in missiles launched, leaders deposed, generals assassinated and rebel groups battered with missiles.

Trump was joined in Palm Beach by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who spent many hours over the last several weeks going over options for Iran with the president.

The group used a secure room on the estate to monitor the launch of what Trump described as a “massive” campaign in Iran, according to a person familiar with the matter. Trump brought National Security Council and Situation Room personnel to Mar-a-Lago in anticipation of creating a make shift Situation Room, another source familiar said.

The list of highly classified operations green-lit from Mar-a-Lago is now a long one.

It was in a windowless basement room that Trump met with top national security officials in 2020 to make a final decision on taking out Iran’s top military commander, Qasem Soleimani.

It was from another secure room that Trump authorized strikes on Syria for the use of chemical weapons in 2017, before returning to dinner with China’s leader to recount them over chocolate cake. “He was eating his cake,” Trump would say later of his guest, President Xi Jinping. “And he was silent.”

In the last year alone, Trump was at Mar-a-Lago as the US began an air campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen, observing the first salvos on monitors fresh from the golf course; as American Tomahawk missiles were fired into alleged ISIS camps in Nigeria on Christmas Day; and as the audacious mission to capture Nicolas Maduro played out in Caracas at the start of the year.

CNN’s Kristen Holmes contributed to this post.

@0800 5 hr 13 min ago

All flights from Dubai's main airports suspended until further notice

By Sophie Tanno

Dubai Airports say that all flights in and out of Dubai’s two main airports — including Dubai International, which is considered the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic — have been suspended until further notice.

“Dubai Airports confirms that all flight operations at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) are suspended until further notice,” according to a statement from the Dubai Media Office.

“Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time and to contact their respective airlines directly for the latest updates regarding their flights.”

@0730 5 hr 44 min ago

US operating outside traditional international law, Finnish president warns

By Catherine Nicholls

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb says that the US is largely operating outside traditional international law following its strikes on Iran, Finnish public broadcaster Yleisradio Oy (Yle) reported.

“Usually, justification for these types of attacks has been sought either from the UN or at least from allies. Now, there has not been much asked about this,” Stubb said, according to Yle.

Stubb, who has spent hours golfing with US President Donald Trump, said that he does not expect his American counterpart to use intermediaries to negotiate an end to the conflict, the outlet reported.

“I’m pretty sure that President Trump won’t have any intermediaries involved in this,” he said, according to Yle.

“We hope that the situation will calm down, but right now it seems to be escalating,” Yle reported Stubb as saying.

@0730 5 hr 47 min ago

Satellite image shows smoke billowing above compound of Iran's supreme leader

By Gianluca Mezzofiore, Lauren Kent and CNN staff

This satellite image from Airbus shows black smoke rising from the compound of Iran’s supreme leader in the capital Tehran on Saturday. Damage seen in the image appears to show that several buildings in the compound were hit by strikes, after the US and Israel launched joint attacks.

It’s unclear if Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was in the compound at the time.

CNN confirmed the location of the strikes on the compound by comparing it to several other videos of strikes in this area of Tehran and triangulating them.

In addition to strikes photographed in Tehran, explosions have been reported in multiple other Iranian cities, including Isfahan and Qom.

Broader context: The Supreme Leader’s compound, known as the beyt-e rahbari, has for years stood as the seat of the ayatollah’s decades-long grip on power. More than a building, it is the nerve center of Iran’s theocratic regime.

It’s where Khamenei has issued his stern pronouncements on all matters domestic and international, often using the pulpit to rail against Iran’s Western enemies and the United States in particular.

For millions of Iranians, the compound was the physical embodiment of a regime that has steadily lost the support of many of those it claims to rule over. A population ground down not only by decades of international sanctions but also by years of economic mismanagement, systemic corruption, and the brutal suppression of dissent.

That it was struck today in the US and Israeli military attack will carry enormous symbolic weight. It’s a deliberate signal aimed at the very heart of the Islamic Republic’s power structure.

@0730 5 hr 30 min ago

"This is not your war," Omani foreign minister tells US

By Antoinette Radford in Doha, Qatar

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said he’s “dismayed” that “active and serious negotiations” between the US and Iran “have yet again been undermined.”

Oman served as a key mediator for US-Iran talks in Geneva this week. The foreign minister was also mediating between the two parties when Israel launched an attack on Iran in the summer, prompting the US to join.

“Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this,” he said on X, urging the US not to “get sucked in further.”

“This is not your war,” he added.

His post comes hours after the US and Israel launched a series of strikes on Iran, prompting the country to retaliate with strikes on US military bases across the Middle East, including striking Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.

@0700 5 hr 52 min ago

Airlines worldwide cancel flights after US-Israeli strikes on Iran

By Sophie Tanno

Airlines internationally have announced cancelled and disrupted flights to the Middle East after the US and Israel struck Iran Saturday, as several countries in the region including Iran closed or partially closed their airspace.

Lufthansa announced cancellations of flights to and from Tel Aviv, citing the safety of passengers and crew members as a “top priority.”

British Airways said it was cancelling flights to and from Tel Aviv and Bahrain for several days. It also said its flight on Saturday to Amman, Jordan, has been grounded.

Virgin Atlantic announced it had cancelled its flight from London Heathrow to Dubai, a popular tourist hotspot, on Saturday, as “a precautionary measure.” “We’re closely monitoring the evolving situation in parts of the Middle East following recent political developments in the region,” the airline said.

Italian airline ITA Airways said in a statement it had suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv and would not use the airspaces of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Iran until March 7. It has also suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 1, for “operational reasons.”

Carriers including Air France, Turkish Airlines, and Air India have also announced disruptions to flights to the region.

The EU aviation agency has issued a conflict-zone alert, urging airlines to halt flights over the Middle East and Persian Gulf until Monday. The agency cited high risks not only in Iranian airspace but neighboring states which host US military bases.

Egypt’s aviation ministry said Egyptian airspace remained operating at full capacity and airports in the country were on high alert for receiving flights that had been forced to reroute.

CNN’s James Frater contributed reporting.

@0700 5 hr 50 min ago

Iranian FM tells Arab states his country will defend itself

From Adam Pourahmadi

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi vowed that his country would defend itself against the strikes by Israel and the US, in calls with his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq, according to Iranian state media.

Araghchi described the military action as “a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and a clear crime against international peace and security.”

Araghchi said Iran would exercise its “inherent right of self-defense and use all its defensive and military capabilities to defend the country.”

Iran’s military “will regard the origin and sources of US and Israeli military operations, as well as any actions taken to counter Iran’s defensive operations, as legitimate targets,” Araghchi told the foreign ministers.

Araghchi also spoke with Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, who “condemned the unwarranted attacks against Iran and called for an immediate halt to escalation through urgent resumption of diplomacy to achieve a peaceful, negotiated resolution to the crisis,” according to the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad.

@0700 6 hr 4 min ago

Mediator said Iran deal was “within our reach” hours before US-Israeli strikes

By Abbas Al Lawati

Just hours before the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, Oman’s foreign minister said a breakthrough in US-Iran talks had brought a peace deal “within our reach.”

“A peace deal is within our reach if we just allow diplomacy the space it needs to get there,” Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi told CBS’ Face the Nation on Friday in a rare interview, adding that the main obstacles to a deal had been overcome.

“If the ultimate objective is to ensure forever that Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, I think we have cracked that problem through these negotiations by agreeing a very important breakthrough that has not been achieved any time before,” he said. “The single most important achievement, I believe, is the agreement that Iran will never ever have the nuclear material that will create a bomb.”

Albusaidi said Iran had agreed not to stockpile excess nuclear material that could be used to build a bomb, a concession he suggested went beyond the limits imposed under the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated during the Obama administration.

“This is something that has really been missed a lot by the media, and I want to clarify that from the standpoint of a mediator,” he said. “There would be zero accumulation, zero stockpiling and full verification… by the (UN nuclear watchdog), the IAEA.”

His comments came hours after President Donald Trump told reporters he was “not happy” with the talks, saying Iran was “not willing to give us what we have to have.”

Oman’s role: The country has served as a diplomatic backchannel between Washington and Tehran for years. It had mediated three rounds of talks between the two sides, with Albusaidi expressing optimism following the latest round on Thursday.

@0700 5 hr 55 min ago

Iran urges calm amid uncertainty over what – and who – was struck

By Mostafa Salem

The precise locations of targets struck in Iran remain unclear, but videos show extensive damage to residential neighbourhoods in the capital, Tehran, and various other parts of the country.

In addition to strikes on the capital, Israel and the United States appear to have targeted several other areas including Esfahan, Ilam, Lorestan, Kermanshah, Karaj and Tabriz, according to state media.

Iranian state media said top officials were safe, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaker of parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and top military officials. The strikes appear to have targeted key locations, including ministries, bases, and the homes of senior officials.

Some of the most extensive strikes appear to be in Tehran, including a district which houses the office and residence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hit earlier with at least seven missiles, Iranian media reported.

A further strike was reported in the vicinity of 72 Narmak Square, the area where former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a vocal critic of Israel, is said to live.

Amid the uncertainty, Iran’s National Security Council urged residents to evacuate Tehran if possible and to avoid shopping centers.

Motorists queued at petrol stations as roads leading out of the capital became heavily congested, prompting traffic police to redirect cars into opposing lanes to ease the exodus.

The airspace was closed, and schools and universities were shut.

Nevertheless, the government stated that essential goods, fuel, and medicine remained “abundantly available” throughout the country. Banks continued to provide services, and 24-hour medical centers would remain fully operational.

@0700 6 hr 13 min ago

Cars shelter under overpass near Tel Aviv, Israel as alerts warn of incoming missiles

By Oren Liebermann

With alerts warning of incoming missiles in Israel, cars on a highway near Tel Aviv sheltered under an overpass as they waited for the sirens to end.

Israel’s Home Front Command urged citizens to stay near bomb shelters and warned the public not to take part in gatherings.

@0700 6 hr 18 min ago

Iran launches "large-scale" drone attack at Israel

By Adam Pourahmadi

Iran has launched its first large scale drone attack at Israel, firing “dozens of attack drones,” the Iranian army said.

5 hr 39 min ago

Second wave of missiles targeting Qatar successfully intercepted, Ministry of Defence says

By Antoinette Radford in Doha, Qatar

A second round of missiles launched towards Qatar have been successfully “intercepted and neutralized,” Qatar’s Ministry of Defence said in a post on Instagram.

“All incoming missiles were intercepted and destroyed before reaching Qatari territory,” the ministry said, while reiterating that Qatar’s Armed Forces have “full capabilities and resources” to ensure the country’s security.

It also urged those within Qatar to “remain calm” and “adhere to official instructions”.

As of 2.30 p.m. local time Saturday (6.30 a.m. ET), CNN staff in Qatar had heard several rounds of missiles being intercepted in the country.

@0700 6 hr 26 min ago

Israel is targeting Iran's leadership. Here's who runs the country and how it works

By Christian Edwards

Israel’s strikes against Iran have targeted senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the armed forces’ chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, two Israeli sources told CNN.

The structure of Iran’s regime was built following the Islamic Revolution of 1979, which swept away Iran’s monarchy and birthed a state that is part theocracy, part republic – with a handful of semi-democratic institutions swaddled by a system that is ultimately clerical.

Here’s a look at how power operates in the country:

Supreme Leader: Atop Iran’s power structure is Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The leader is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and has authority over the national police and morality police. He also appoints half of the 12 members of the Guardian Council; Iran’s parliament selects the other half.

Guardian Council: This 12-jurist body oversees the activities of Iran’s parliament, determining if laws passed are compatible with sharia and can demand that legislation be revised. The council also approves candidates for parliament, the presidency, and the Assembly of Experts – meaning it can block certain candidates from running for public office.

Assembly of Experts: This body of 88 jurists, directly elected by the public from a list of candidates vetted by the Guardian Council, is tasked with checking the authority of the supreme leader. But it is not clear how the assembly exercises its power: it only meets for one week a year; its meetings are secret; and it is not known to have ever challenged a supreme leader’s decisions.

President: The head of the elected government is directly answerable to the supreme leader. Eligible for a maximum of two four-year terms, the president implements policies within the framework set out by the supreme leader and spearheads Iran’s diplomacy.

Parliament: With 290 members, also elected to four-year terms, the parliament drafts legislation, ratifies treaties and approves the budget. Its sessions are open to the public and its deliberations are broadcast.

Security services: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is an elite military unit tasked with defending the regime, comprising between 150,000 and 190,000 troops, and has an army, navy, air force and intelligence wing. The Basij – a volunteer branch of the IRGC – is responsible for enforcing Islamic morality among the public.

@0630 6 hr 31 min ago

US military plan includes series of escalating strikes with pauses to assess damage

By Jim Sciutto

The US has planned an escalating series of strikes with off-ramps along the way, according to a senior US official. Each round will be over a one to two-day period with pauses to reset and assess battle damage.

@0630 6 hr 36 min ago

Iran's rapid retaliation puts US defense systems to the test, CNN military analyst says

By Charlotte Reck

Iran’s rapid retaliation to the US and Israel’s joint military operation will test the defense systems established by the US across the Middle East, while also demonstrating Iran’s military capability, CNN’s military analyst says.

“This is the defensive posture that has been established over the past few months, and actually years, in the Gulf region, that is now being basically put to the test as the Iranians respond to the initial attack,” retired US Air Force Col. Cedric Leighton told CNN’s Becky Anderson.

Leighton said intelligence estimates give some indication as to the capacity Iran has to retaliate, but he added its speedy response is surprising, and suggests it has been preparing for an attack of this intensity.

“They (Iran) have about 2,000 to 3,000 missile that they are capable of launching,” Leighton said, “The problem that they have is that they don’t have, at least according to the intelligence estimates, they don’t have the launchers that they had.”

The military expert said Iran is believed to have around a third of the launchers it had before the June attacks last year, “So, if that is true, if those intelligence estimates are correct, one would think that the Iranian response would have been delayed a bit. But they clearly were able to mount a response very quickly, more quickly than I expected them to.”

“I expected them to mount a response but not a response of this magnitude at this particular moment in time. So, they were clearly getting ready for this,” Leighton said, “They were prepared.”

@0630 6 hr 38 min ago

Trump told the IRGC to surrender or face "certain death." What to know about the elite wing of Iran's military

By Christian Edwards

“To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces, and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity or, in the alternative, face certain death,” President Donald Trump said in his address, announcing a “major” operation in Iran.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the elite wing of the Iranian military, has propped up the Iranian regime for decades. It is tasked both with combating enemies abroad and stamping out protests at home. Here’s what to know about it.

What is the IRGC and how did it start?

The IRGC exists to “guard” the theocracy. After Iran’s last monarch was deposed in 1979, various paramilitary groups that helped hasten his downfall coalesced into the IRGC. It resisted initial attempts to be incorporated into the regular army and cemented its power during its deployment in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s.

Today, it is the most powerful branch of Iran’s military, independent of the regular army. Comprising between 150,000 and 190,000 troops, it has an army, navy, air force and intelligence wing, and has also become enmeshed throughout Iran’s civilian economy.

What is the Quds Force?

The Quds Force is an expeditionary unit made up of the IRGC’s most elite fighters. It was originally tasked with foreign operations, starting with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The force has since supported several non-state actors in the Middle East, from Hamas in Gaza to the Houthis in Yemen and even the Taliban in Afghanistan during the 1990s.

What is the Basij?

The Basij – another of the IRGC’s five branches – operates like the police: visible, street-level, domestic. Meaning “mobilization” in Farsi, the Basij is a volunteer group which plucks members from across the country, often from poorer, more conservative backgrounds. It is tasked with propping up the regime at home and enforcing Islamic morality among the public.

@0630 6 hr 47 min ago

Shelter in place warning across Qatar means I’m working from my bathroom

By Antoinette Radford in Doha, Qatar

Across Qatar, an emergency alert was sent to phones at around midday, urging people to stay in their homes or to shelter in a safe place, to avoid military sites and “not to go out or move around except when absolutely necessary, in order to avoid any risks”.

For me, that means working from my bathroom – which is the room with the most walls between me and the windows where I live.

Over the past four hours we have heard three rounds of missiles being intercepted. Earlier, a Qatari official said Qatar had intercepted two Iranian missiles over the country.

@0630 6 hr 48 min ago

Israeli military official says forces strengthened along Lebanese and Syrian borders after it launched strikes on Iran

By Eugenia Yosef

Israel is strengthening and reinforcing its forces along its borders with Lebanon and Syria, following its strikes on Iran, an Israeli military official told reporters on Saturday.

Local first responders have been activated in communities near Israel’s northern borders, and patrol and security forces have been reinforced, according to the Israeli military official. The official also said forces have been reinforced along the country’s eastern and western borders.

“A significant expansion of search and rescue forces has been conducted, with dozens of battalions deployed nationwide,” the official added.

Iran’s response to strikes: Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran Saturday morning after what the Israeli military said was months of “close and joint planning.” In response, Iran says it targeted US military facilities in several countries in the Gulf, as well as sending barrages of missiles towards Israel. CNN teams in Israel have heard explosions in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

@0600 7 hr ago

Iran will respond to US-Israeli strikes "with authority," foreign ministry says

By Catherine Nicholls

Iran’s foreign ministry has just released a statement in English condemning the “criminal military aggression” carried out by the US and Israel, which this morning struck a number of locations inside Iran.

“The renewed military aggression of the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran is being committed while Iran and the United States were in the midst of a diplomatic process,” the foreign ministry said, referencing nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran that were ongoing just yesterday.

“Now the Iranian people are proud that they did everything necessary to prevent war. Now is the time to defend the homeland and confront the enemy’s military aggression,” the foreign ministry said.

“Just as we were ready for negotiations, we have been more prepared than ever for defense. The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will respond to the aggressors with authority,” it continued.

The Iranian foreign ministry called on the United Nations and international community to “firmly condemn this act of aggression and take urgent and collective action to confront it, which has undoubtedly exposed the peace and security of the region and the world to an unprecedented threat.”

“History testifies that Iranians have never surrendered to foreign aggression and hegemony; this time too, the response of the Iranian nation will be decisive and determining and will make the aggressors regret their criminal act,” it said.

@0600 7 hr ago

Trump's top general voiced uncertainty about potential fallout of Iran strikes in recent meetings

By Natasha Bertrand, Zachary Cohen and Haley Britzky

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, President Donald Trump’s top military adviser, has been building possible strike options for weeks and briefed Trump several times ahead of today’s strikes.

Those options have included everything from a quick bombings aimed at a select group of nuclear sites to massive air campaigns hoping to force regime change and obliteration of the Iranian military.

However, Caine has voiced a high degree of uncertainty about the consequences of those options. As recently as last week, when Caine was part of a White House Situation Room briefing that went three times longer than scheduled, Caine was unable to predict what the result of a regime change operation would be, sources said. Caine had seemed more confident several months ago about the success of such a mission in Venezuela, whose leader was captured by the US military in a swift and decisive operation in January.

In separate Pentagon meetings, Caine has been vocal about the potential downsides of launching a major military operation targeting Iran, raising concerns about the scale, complexity and potential for US casualties of such a mission, CNN previously reported.

Caine, however has been carefully managing his relationship with Trump and how much advice and guidance he offers the president while trying to retain his influence.

@0630 6 hr 39 min ago

Here's how members of Congress are reacting to the US and Israel's strikes on Iran

By Samantha Waldenberg

Here’s how members of Congress are reacting to the US and Israel launching strikes on Iran Saturday morning.

· Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who for weeks had been advocating for US intervention in Iran, called the joint operation in Iran “necessary and long justified.”

· Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who supported the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year, praised the new strikes, saying Trump “has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region.”

· Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, called out the White House for not informing Congress: “Acts of war unauthorized by Congress. The U.S. is attacking Iran according to AP.”

Ahead of the strikes, Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called out the Trump administration in a Friday statement for failing to provide Congress with any “real briefings or intelligence.”

Democrats had been pushing for a vote on a War Powers Resolution in the coming days.

CNN’s Karenia Murry, Logan Schiciano, and Riane Lumer contributed to this report

@0600 7hr 4 min ago

The cities inside Iran that have been struck so far

By Renée Rigdon and Lou Robinson

Several cities inside Iran have been attacked in US and Israeli strikes this morning, largely in the center and northwest of the country, according to state-run media.

Here are the locations we know have been struck so far:

@0600 6 hr 53 min ago

Qatar describes retaliatory strikes from Iran as "unacceptable escalation"

By CNN's Dalia Abdelwahab

Qatar has condemned retaliatory Iranian strikes on US bases located in the country and some of neighboring Arab nations as a “flagrant violation of its national sovereignty” in a Arabic-language post on X.

The statement went on to characterize Qatar as reserving “its full right to respond to such targeting in accordance with the provisions of international law”, further suggesting that the actions demonstrate a lack of apt recognition on Tehran’s part to Doha’s continued mediation efforts between the former and Washington, along with other nations.

“The State of Qatar has always endeavored to distance itself from regional conflicts and sought to facilitate dialogue between the Iranians and the international community,” the statement reads. “However, repeated targeting of its territories does not reflect good faith and threatens the foundation of understanding upon which bilateral relations between the two countries were built.”

Retaliatory Iranian strikes had also notably targeted US bases in the likes of the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Bahrain, following a joint US-Israeli strike operation within Iran.

@0600 7 hr 14 min ago

CNN producer witnesses missiles being intercepted over Doha

By Bijan Hosseini and Duarte Mendonca38

CNN producer Bijan Hosseini witnessed at least four missiles being intercepted over Doha’s West Bay on Saturday, in an area considered to be popular with both expats and Qatari locals.

Qatar’s National Emergency Alert System has sent messages urging people to find shelter and warning about imminent missile strikes.

@0600 7 hr 19 min ago

One explosion heard in Tel Aviv, Israel

By Jeremy Diamond

One explosion was just heard by CNN’s team in Tel Aviv, Israel.

It is unclear if the explosion was an intercept by Israel’s air defense systems or something else.

@0530 7 hr 30 min ago

Israeli military official says focus of operation is not "regime change"

By Eugenia Yosef and Tal Shalev

Israel’s focus is not “a regime change operation,” an Israeli military official said in a news briefing on Saturday, emphasizing that its focus is on military targets.

“However, individuals involved in directing attacks, promoting violence, or executing plans to destroy Israel can be considered legitimate targets if they are part of the operational war machine,” the Israeli military official told reporters.

“Leadership involvement in military aggression may place individuals within target scope – but the emphasis remains on military objectives,” the official said.

Those comments come as two Israeli sources familiar with the operation told CNN that the strikes targeted senior Iranian figures, including Iran’s supreme leader, president and armed forces chief.

Meanwhile: US President Donald Trump has called for regime change, urging Iranians in a video message to “take over your government” when US operations conclude.

@0530 7 hr 35 min ago

Iranian army says will “deliver a historic lesson” to Israel and US

By Mostafa Salem and Adam Pourahmadi

Iran’s army said it will deliver a “historic lesson” to Israel and the United States after strikes on Iranian cities.

“As we have already stated, any base anywhere in the region that assists Israel will be a target of the sacred Islamic Republic and our armed forces, and we will show no hesitation,” the Senior Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi said, according to Iranian state-affiliated media.

6 hr 56 min ago

Jordan says military intercepted two missiles targeting it

By Jomana Karadsheh

The Jordanian military says its air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles targeting the country.

Residents of the captal Amman said they heard loud explosions and air raid sirens.

@0600 7 hr 12 min ago

"Very big gamble" to carry out Iran strikes in hope of regime change, diplomat says

By Catherine Nicholls

The US and Israel have taken a big risk in carrying out strikes on Iran with the hopes of changing its regime, according to Daniel Shapiro, a former US ambassador to Israel.

“There’s no question we are now facing what could be a pivotal, even a transformative moment in the Middle East. The (US) president announced a short while ago that what he has launched, together with Israel, is essentially a regime change war in Iran,” Shapiro told CNN’s Becky Anderson earlier today.

The “real question,” Shapiro said, is whether there is “linear progression” in the aftermath of the strikes that sees “the Iranian people rising up and taking over their country.”

“That’s a very, very big gamble. And we have a long way to go to see if it can be carried out the way (US President Donald Trump) described it.”

@0530 7 hr 49 min ago

World leaders react as Israel and US launch strikes on Iran

By Catherine Nicholls

Footage verified by CNN appears to show a strike on Iran’s intelligence ministry complex in northern Tehran From Social Media

Global leaders and authorities are beginning to react to the news that the US and Israel have carried out strikes on Iran, and that Tehran is responding to those attacks with its own strikes in the Middle East.

· The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the developments “perilous” and said that she has spoken to Israel’s foreign minister this morning. “Protection of civilians and international humanitarian law is a priority,” she said on X.

· Switzerland’s foreign ministry said it is “deeply alarmed by today’s strikes by the US and Israel against Iran,” calling on “all parties to exercise maximum restraint, protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.”

· Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the US and Israeli strikes on Iran “bring the Middle East to the edge of catastrophe,” urging Washington and Tehran to “pursue a diplomatic off-ramp rather than further escalation.”

· Slovenia’s President Nataša Pirc Musar said that she was following the latest developments “with great concern,” posting to X that “we are witnessing a serious escalation of regional tensions, thereby endangering peace and stability in the Middle East.”

· Ukraine’s foreign ministry said on X that “the regime in Tehran had every opportunity to prevent a violent scenario,” adding: “We reaffirm our unwavering position: we wish security, prosperity, and freedom to the Iranian people, as well as stability and prosperity to the Middle East.”

· Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that his country “support(s) the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” also writing on X that “Australia stands with the brave people of Iran in their struggle against oppression.”

· India’s embassies in Israel and Iran advised Indian nationals in the countries to “exercise utmost caution,” avoid unnecessary travel and monitor the situation.

We will continue to bring you more reactions as we get them.

@0700 5 hr 51 min ago

Israeli strikes targeted Iranian supreme leader and president, among others, sources say

By Tal Shalev and Jeremy Diamond

Israel’s strikes on Iran Saturday morning targeted senior Iranian figures, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, armed forces Chief of Staff Sayyid Abdolrahim Mousavi, and President Masoud Pezeshkian, among others, two Israeli sources familiar with the operation told CNN.

Other targets included the secretary of Iran’s newly established Defence Council, Ali Shamkhani, and the secretary of Iran’s National Security Council, Ali Larijani, according to the Israeli sources.

It is unclear if any senior Iranian figures were hit in the attack.

@0500 7 hr 59 min ago

One person killed in UAE after Iranian strikes

By Mostafa Salem

One person was killed by falling debris after air defenses intercepted Iranian missiles targeting sites in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, state-run WAM news agency said, citing the UAE defense ministry.

The defense ministry said an Asian national was killed after the debris fell on a residential area of Abu Dhabi.

The UAE said in the statement that it had intercepted “a number” of ballistic missiles fired by Iran, describing the attack as “a dangerous escalation and a cowardly act.”

@0500 7 hr 57 min ago

Trump tells Washington Post that his goal is "freedom" for Iranian people

From CNN's Riane Lumer

President Donald Trump spoke on the phone with The Washington Post in the early morning hours Saturday, telling the news outlet that his primary objectives were “freedom” for the Iranian people and ensuring the country is “safe.”

Pressed about his future legacy in the aftermath of the military operation, Trump responded “All I want is freedom for the people,” The Post reported.

“I want a safe nation, and that’s what we’re going to have,” he added.

@0500 7 hr 43 min ago

Video shows moment of missile strike on US Navy base in Bahrain

By Isaac Yee

Video geolocated by CNN shows the moment a missile struck a US Navy base in Bahrain. A US official told CNN the base was targeted by an Iranian missile attack, as we’ve reported.

Video geolocated by CNN shows the moment a missile struck the US Navy base in Bahrain. From Social Media

@0500 8 hr 12 min ago

Several US embassies across Middle East call for Americans to shelter-in-place

By Samantha Waldenberg

Several United States embassies in countries across the Middle East have called for Americans abroad to shelter-in-place. Those countries so far include Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan.

“The U.S. Embassy in Manama urges U.S. citizens in Bahrain to shelter in place, review security plans in the event of an attack, and to stay alert in case of additional future attacks,” the US embassy in Manama, Bahrain, wrote on social media.

Those warnings come as Iran’s state-affiliated media reported that four US bases in the Middle East were targeted as a response to US and Israeli strikes on Iranian cities, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain were targeted by Iranian missile attacks, Fars news agency said, citing the IRGC.

@0500 7 hr 58 min ago

Iran responds to US and Israeli strikes with an unprecedented attack across the Middle East

From CNN staff

We have not seen strikes like these across the Middle East before. In response to the US and Israeli strikes, Iran appears to be striking US targets in several countries at once, with blasts heard from the beaches of Dubai to the streets of Doha.

Things are moving fast. It’s not clear if those explosions were the sound of missiles being intercepted, or hitting their targets.

What is clear, however, is that the Iranian regime views this as an existential moment. They are going fast and aggressively. When the United States and Israel last struck Iran in June, they targeted the regime’s stockpile of ballistic missiles, hampering its ability to retaliate. Iran could be trying to make use of its arsenal while it still has it.

What is also clear is that the regime is not thinking about its relationships with its neighbors and wants to punish the US at any cost. Any country that hosts a US military base appears to be a target – the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. There may be more.

@0500 8 hr 12 min ago

In pictures: Explosions in Tehran

From CNN Digital’s Photo Team

Plumes of smoke from strikes launched by the United States and Israel were seen over Tehran on Saturday, leading residents to seek shelter, and prepare for what sources have told CNN could be days of attacks.

7 hr 53 min ago

US action against Iran begins - but with the goals uncertain and the clock ticking

Analysis by Nick Paton Walsh

President Donald Trump’s amassing of forces in the Middle East boxed him into action, many felt. The question now is how much?

Trump calls the operation “massive and ongoing.” The second word is self-evident, and the first perhaps muted in impact because of his love of hyperbole. But he has set goals, and one is: “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.”

That is no easy task. And it is one where the results will be immediately palpable: Would it leave Iran able to fire back at Israel and US assets in the region at all? Trump also sets their sights on Iran’s proxies, harking back, it seems, to the past in Iraq where they used IEDs to kill US troops.

Trump also said Tehran had “every opportunity” to dismantle their nuclear ambitions. The latest Iranian offer, as reported by mediator Oman, said Tehran agreed to “zero stockpiling” or enriched material, a late concession clearly short of the “zero enrichment” that the US has been demanding.

But Trump’s goals widened further in his video announcing the strikes, offering Revolutionary Guards and police “complete immunity” if they lay down their arms, or face “certain death.” He called on the Iranian people to rise up, saying that they had called for help for years and now “you have a president who is giving you what you want.”

Trump leaves no doubt of the scope of his ambition here: it is pretty much everything — although he does not seem to explicitly demand regime change, just hope it happens.

The question that needs answering, as the bombs fall, is whether this is him talking big and hoping for results, or the start of a keenly planned, intensely focused offensive

His top brass has warned the Pentagon might lack the resources for a sustained campaign. That dynamic has not changed because of this bombastic announcement. And the weakness of Iran in this moment is a given: they will fight to the end if pushed but also prefer an off-ramp that increases their chance of survival. At this moment, it does not look like either side have a final, decisive conflict as their preferred option, whatever Trump says. That is key.

It is hard to see how diplomacy can play a role in a moment like this, but it is the most likely scenario, eventually.

Regime change and dismantling a nuclear program is hard – if not impossible – to achieve even with the huge forces arrayed. The telegraphing of this assault will have reduced some of its effectiveness, with key leaders and infrastructure able to prepare for the violence ahead.

But key to some of the limits on Trump’s power was the nature of how this new war came to be.

Unlike 2003, when the US invaded Iraq, we do not have an electorate briefed and ready, or political capital for Trump to spend, or amassed US forces so powerful the outcome is indisputable and swift.

This potentially limits Trump’s options, and it is far from ideal to enter a conflict like this with the clock likely ticking on how long you can politically sustain your assault.

@0530 7 hr 41 min ago

"We can only expect escalation" after strikes on Iran, Middle East scholar tells CNN

By Catherine Nicholls

The US-Israeli strikes on Iran are likely to lead to escalation in the region, Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House think tank in London, told CNN.

“I think we can only expect escalation because the United States has made it clear with (Israeli) Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu on side, that this is not a strike in order to pressure Iran back to the negotiating table … This is a war to change the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic is … fighting for its life,” Vakil told CNN’s Becky Anderson.

Iran’s “only option” is to “quickly respond and try to export this war to the region,” because it “doesn’t have too much ability to withstand the United States of America, ultimately,” she said.

“Iran’s strategy is to regionalize this war and to regionalize it quickly so that the pain is not just taken and absorbed by Tehran, but spread across the Middle East.”

@0500 8 hr 24 min ago

Multiple explosions heard in Dubai

By Abbas Al Lawati

Multiple explosions were heard by CNN teams in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates’ commercial hub.

@0500 7 hr 53 min ago

Trump says "major combat operations" underway against Iran. Here’s what to know

By CNN Staff

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the US has begun “major combat operations” in Iran, pledging to lay waste to the country’s military and obliterate its nuclear program.

In an eight-minute video on Truth Social, Trump accused Iran of rejecting “every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions,” and said the US “can’t take it anymore.” Israel also said it was attacking Iran.

Unlike the last time the US and Israel struck Iran, in June, these strikes began in daylight in the early morning. And whereas the US strikes in June were over within a few hours, sources have told CNN that the US military is this time planning for several days of attacks.

Explosions have been reported in multiple Iranian cities, including in the capital, Tehran. Iran has already begun its response, launching an unprecedented wave of strikes across the Gulf.

Here’s what to know.

• Trump announcement: In his address, Trump said the objective of the US operation – which the Department of Defense is calling “Operation Epic Fury” – is “to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” He listed the Iranian regime’s history of sponsoring terror across the region, and said “we’re not going to put up with it any longer.”

• Iran’s nuclear program: Trump said Iran had “rejected every opportunity to renounce their operations,” which had prompted the US to take military action. The strikes come just hours after Oman’s foreign minister, who has been mediating the talks between US and Iranian officials, said the two sides had made “significant progress” during negotiations in Switzerland.

• Regime change: At the end of his video, Trump called on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite wing of the regime’s military, to lay down its arms and enjoy “complete immunity,” or “face certain death.” He also addressed the Iranian people directly, saying: “When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”

• Explosions in Iran: Explosions were heard in Tehran’s Pasteur district, where the highly secure compound housing the residence and office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is located, Iranian state-affiliated news outlets said. Explosions have also been heard in several other parts of Iran.

• A longer campaign: The US military is planning for several days of attacks, according to two sources. Israel is also preparing for several days of strikes, and “even more if needed,” an Israeli source told CNN.

• Iran strikes back: Iran has launched “dozens” of ballistic missiles towards Israel, according to an IRGC-affiliated news outlet. The Israeli military said it had identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel, and said its air force was working to intercept them.

• Blasts across Gulf: Iran is beginning to retaliate with strikes across the region. CNN reporters have heard explosions in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and smoke has been seen rising from the city. There are also reports of multiple explosions in Bahrain and Qatar. All three countries host US military bases.

@0500 8 hr 22 min ago

In social media post, Trump links Iran operation to country's election meddling efforts

By Kevin Liptak

Hours after announcing “major combat operations” in Iran that may cost American troops their lives, President Donald Trump posted an article claiming Tehran had worked to interfere in the 2020 and 2024 US presidential elections.

“Iran tried to interfere in 2020, 2024 elections to stop Trump, and now faces renewed war with United States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, repeating the headline of the article on JustTheNews.com.

The article cited “meddling” efforts by Iran and the country’s plotting to try to assassinate Trump.

CNN reported in 2024 that Iran was using covert social media activity and related influence operations in an effort to undercut Trump’s candidacy, according to US intelligence assessments of threats to the election.

US authorities also obtained intelligence from a human source in the summer of 2024 on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increase security around him.

@0430 8 hr 34 min ago

Iran's IRGC targeted four US bases in the Middle East, Iranian media reports

By Mostafa Salem

Four US bases in the Middle East were targeted as a response to US and Israeli strikes on Iranian cities, Iran’s state-affiliated media reported, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the US Fifth Fleet base in Bahrain were targeted by Iranian missile attacks, Fars news agency said, citing the IRGC.

@0600 7 hr ago

Senior Democrat says Congress received "no real briefings or intelligence" ahead of strikes

By Samantha Waldenberg

Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called out the Trump administration in a statement Friday for failing to provide Congress with any “real briefings or intelligence” ahead of the strikes in Iran.

“The president barely mentioned Iran during the longest State of the Union speech in history. He failed to define the objective. Congress has received no real briefings or intelligence, and it is hard to justify action without rationale,” the Rhode Island Democrat said in the statement, which was released ahead of the latest military action.

CORRECTION: This post has been updated to correct that Reed’s statement was from Friday.

@0430 8 hr 34 min ago

Videos show smoke rising near US Navy facility in Bahrain

By Isaac Yee and Teele Rebane

Videos geolocated by CNN show smoke rising from the direction of a US Navy base in Bahrain. The base was targeted by an Iranian missile attack a US official told CNN.

Smoke rises from the direction a US Navy base in Bahrain. From Social Media

Video shows smoke rising from the direction of a US Navy base in Bahrain. Obtained by CNN

@0500 8 hr 3 min ago

Israeli President congratulates IDF and US Army on "bold joint operation"

By Eugenia Yosef and Charlotte Reck

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has congratulated the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and the US Army on what he called “the bold joint operation” in Iran, terming the operation “Roar of the Lion” in a post on X.

“This is a dramatic and historic step, and I thank the President of the United States Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the decision, in the hope that it will bring historic change for us and for the entire Middle East,” Herzog wrote.

The president warned Israelis of challenges in the coming days. “But we are a strong nation and no one will be able to defeat us and our resilience,” Herzog said before telling Israelis to take care and follow instructions set out by the Home Front Command.

“To the commanders of the IDF and its soldiers in all arenas – on land, at sea, and in the air – I trust you. A united nation stands behind you and believes in you. May the Lord guard your going out and your coming in,” he added.

@0430 8 hr 37 min ago

Senate Democrat praises US strikes in Iran

By Logan Schiciano

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who supported the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year, praised the joint strikes carried out today by the US and Israel.

“President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region. God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel,” Fetterman said in a post on X.

@0400 8 hr 45 min ago

US Navy base in Bahrain targeted by Iranian missiles, US official says

By Kevin Liptak

The US Navy base in Bahrain was targeted by an Iranian missile attack, a US official said, describing it as an “active situation.”

The base is home to the Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

@0430 8 hr 35 min ago

Israel launches new wave of strikes against regime targets in western Iran, military says

By Oren Liebermann

Israel has launched a new wave of strikes against regime targets in western Iran, the Israeli military said.

The statement comes approximately 3.5 hours after Israel and the US launched the opening salvos of strikes against Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was “conducting a board strike against a number of military targets” belonging to the regime in western Iran.

@0400 8 hr 55 min ago

US and Israel held months of "close and joint planning" before strike, Israeli military says

From CNN's Oren Liebermann

Smoke rises from the direction of the Iranian intelligence headquarters in Tehran. From Social Media

Months of “close and joint planning” took place between the United States and Israel ahead of a joint campaign of strikes against Iran, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The coordination enabled the two militaries to carry out a “broad strike in full synchronization and coordination.”

The campaign is designed to “thoroughly degrade” the Iranian regime and “remove existential threats to Israel.” CNN had previously reported that Iranian ballistic missiles and missile launchers were among Israel’s first targets.

“Even at this hour, Israeli Air Force fighter jets continue to strike targets across Iran based on precise intelligence,” the IDF said. “Operations will continue as required.”

@0400 8 hr 59 min ago

US Navy's Fifth Fleet service center "subjected to missile attack," Bahrain says

By Mostafa Salem

The service center of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain has been “subjected to a missile attack,” the Bahrain News Agency reports.

@0400 8 hr 40 min ago

Iran operation "something we haven't seen before," former Pentagon Middle East advisor says

By Charlotte Reck

WANA, ISNA

US President Donald Trump’s combat operation in Iran is unprecedented, according to a former Pentagon Middle East advisor.

“This is certainly something that I think we haven’t seen before,” Jasmine El-Gamal told CNN’s Becky Anderson earlier today.

El-Gamal described the key differences between previous examples of US military action and what we are seeing in Iran today. “In the Iraq war, the US went in with boots on the ground to take out the regime itself,” she said.

She added that the removal of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro by the Trump administration earlier this year also differed strategically.

“In Venezuela, the US took out the head of the government, Nicolas Maduro, but left the rest of the apparatus in place,” El-Gamal said. “It’s really, really uncharted territory.”

@0400 8 hr 58 min ago

Analysis: Iran strikes shore up Netanyahu's domestic position with elections due

By Tal Shalev

For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iran has long been the flagship issue. For years, Netanyahu has warned of Tehran’s nuclear peril and regional aggression, a campaign that culminated in Israel’s June 2025 Operation Rising Lion that was later joined by the US.

Now the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran could potentially shore up Netanyahu’s standing as elections loom. Officially, voting is set for October 2026, though coalition tensions might move them up.

Netanyahu frames the attacks on Iran as part of Israel’s broader response and retaliation to the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, portraying the strikes as his attempt to reshape the Middle East, and - critics note - to rewrite the narrative surrounding the security failures that preceded the assault on Israel.

Netanyahu also amplified his close ties to President Donald Trump as a cornerstone of his election-year messaging.

The strikes also temporarily quiet opposition voices as security crises in Israel tend to produce a rally-around-the-flag effect. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said this morning, “Israel is strong, the IDF and Air Force are strong, the world’s superpower stands with us. In these moments, we stand together and win together. No coalition or opposition - just one nation and one IDF behind which we all stand.”

Still, the political outcomes remain uncertain and are not guaranteed. Operation Rising Lion in June delivered only a modest and short-lived rise to Netanyahu’s polling. And should Iran respond with a severe retaliatory strike that will inflict significant damage or casualties on Israeli soil, the political calculus could eventually shift against him.

@0400 9 hr 3 min ago

US base in Bahrain was targeted by Iran, state media says

By Mostafa Salem

Iran conducted missile attacks on a US base in Bahrain, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Bahrain is a key US ally in the Persian Gulf, and the permanent host of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama.

@0400 9 hr 11 min ago

Qatar has intercepted two Iranian missiles over its country, Qatari official says

By Kaitlan Collins

A Qatari official says Qatar has intercepted two Iranian missiles over its country.

The development indicates Iran is seeking to retaliate amid US strikes.

9 hr 4 min ago

Key GOP Senator says operation in Iran is “necessary and long justified”

By Logan Schiciano

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who had spent weeks advocating for intervention in Iran, called the joint US-Israel operation “necessary and long justified.”

“The end of the largest state sponsor of terrorism is upon us,” Graham wrote on X. “God bless President Trump, our military and our allies in Israel. Freedom for the long suffering Iranian people. This operation is necessary and long justified.”

@0400 9 hr 10 min ago

Explosions reported in Gulf Arab countries that host US bases

From Tim Lister

There are reports of multiple explosions in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, all of which have US bases.

Bahrain’s interior ministry urged citizens to move to the nearest safe location immediately.

@0400 9 hr 23 min ago

See Trump's video message in full

By CNN staff

In his video posted to Truth Social, President Donald Trump encouraged Iranians to seize control of their government when US military operations conclude.

He also warned American lives may be lost as a result of his military operation inside Iran. See his message in full below

@0400 9 hr 17 min ago

UAE closes airspace after blasts heard in Abu Dhabi

CNN Staff

The United Arab Emirates also announced that it is closing its airspace, the state-run WAM new agency said.

Explosions were heard in the capital Abu Dhabi and smoke was seen rising from the city.

@0400 9 hr 20 min ago

Lebanese PM warns against being dragged into war

From Eyad Kourdi

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has said ⁠he will not ⁠accept anyone dragging “the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity” in what appears to be an ⁠indirect message to Hezbollah not to intervene in support of Iran.

“In light of the dangerous developments unfolding in the region, I reiterate my appeal to all Lebanese to exercise wisdom and patriotism, placing the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese people above all else,” Salam said in a statement on X.

“I reaffirm that we will not allow anyone to drag the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity.”

@0500 7 hr 57 min ago

Near-total internet blackout in effect in Iran, watchdog says

By Angus Watson

Footage verified by CNN appears to show a strike on Iran’s intelligence ministry complex in northern Tehran From Social Media

Iran is experiencing a near-total internet blackout, according to online freedom watchdog Netblocks.

“Confirmed: Network data show #Iran is now in the midst of a near-total internet blackout with national connectivity at 4% or ordinary levels.” Netblocks wrote in a post on its Telegram channel.

“The incident comes amid US and Israeli combat operations and matches measures used during last year’s war with Israel.”

Iranians could not connect to the internet for the most part of January, as the regime blocked online communication as it cracked down on anti-government protests.

@0400 9 hr 26 min ago

Defense Department names campaign "Operation Epic Fury”

From CNN's Riane Lumer

The US Department of Defense has named the US and Israel campaign against Iran “Operation Epic Fury,” following the strikes carried out Saturday morning.

“OPERATION EPIC FURY,” the Pentagon posted on X along a US flag.

Last year’s strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities were code-named “Operation Midnight Hammer.”

@0330 9 hr 40 min ago

Israel preparing for several days of strikes on Iran and “even more if needed,” source says

By Tal Shalev

Israel is preparing for several days of strikes on Iran and “even more if needed,” an Israeli source tells CNN.

Similarly, the US military is also preparing for several days of strikes, two US sources said earlier, as President Donald Trump said the attacks are “massive and ongoing.”

@0330 9 hr 45 min ago

Netanyahu calls for regime change in first statement about US-Israel strikes on Iran

By Oren Liebermann

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for regime change in Tehran on Saturday morning in his first video statement about the US-Israel strikes on Iran.

Netanyahu called on “all parts of the Iranian people” to “cast off the yoke of tyranny and bring about a free and peaceful Iran.” He said, “Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands.

During the 12-day war with Iran in June, Netanyahu had also called on the Iranian people to rise up against the regime.

Netanyahu began his video statement by thanking President Donald Trump “for his historic leadership.”

“This murderous terrorist regime must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity,” Netanyahu said.

@0300 9 hr 54 min ago

Trump repeats claims of Iranian threats to US, which sources say aren't supported by US intel

By Haley Britzky

Describing the decision to launch a “major” military operation against Iran Saturday morning, President Donald Trump said in a video posted to social media that Iran was developing “long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland.”

“They rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore,” he said.

Trump has made the claim that Iran was working on missiles that could reach the US several times in recent days, though sources told CNN that the assertion is not supported by US intelligence. There is no intelligence, sources said, that Iran would soon have a missile capable of hitting the US. However, Iran does have short-range ballistic missiles that could threaten US troops and military bases in the Middle East, the sources said.

In his video address on Saturday, Trump also listed a series of grievances against Iran, including its backing of proxy groups in the region that have threatened US troops and commercial shipping, and its support of Hamas.

@0300 9 hr 43 min ago

"Dozens" of ballistic missiles launched toward Israel, Iranian media reports

By Mostafa Salem and Adam Pourahmadi

“Dozens” of ballistic missiles have been launched towards Israel, Nour News, an outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said.

Another state affiliated news agency, Mehr News Agency, said the missiles were targeting the “whole of Palestine,” referring to Israel.

Iran’s English-language state news outlet Press TV reported that “30 to 75” missiles were “coming out of Iran right now.”

@0300 10 hr 3 min ago

Videos show smoke rising near Iran's intelligence complex in Tehran

By Teele Rebane, Isaac Yee and Avery Schmitz

Videos geolocated by CNN show smoke rising from the direction of Iran’s intelligence ministry complex in Tehran as Israeli and the US carry out a major bombing campaign.

Smoke rises from the direction of the Iranian intelligence headquarters in Tehran. From Social Media

Footage verified by CNN appears to show a strike on Iran’s intelligence ministry complex in northern Tehran From Social Media

@0300 9 hr 54 min ago

Israel sends first warnings about incoming missiles

By Oren Liebermann

The first warning of incoming missiles in Israel sounded on Saturday morning, approximately two hours after the US and Israel began launching strikes against Iran.

The notification from Israel’s Home Front Command sent straight to cell phones warned that alerts are expected in the area “in a few minutes” and to prepare to enter a protected space.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it had identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel.

“At this time, the Israeli Air Force is operating to intercept and strike threats where necessary to remove the threat,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said. “The defense is not hermetic, and therefore it is essential that the public continue to adhere to the Home Front Command’s guidelines.”

@0300 10 hr 5 min ago

Iran’s president is safe, Iranian state media says

By Mostafa Salem and Adam Pourahmadi

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian is alive, Iranian state news agency IRNA said citing a source close to the presidency.

Pezeshkian “is in good health,” IRNA said in a short post on Telegram.

@0400 9 hr 6 min ago

Strikes come just a day after latest round of nuclear talks

By Todd Symons

The US and Israeli strikes on Iran come just a day after the latest round of indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the US.

Iranian state media have been quick to point out this is the second time Iran has been attacked in the midst of talks with the US, after the 12-day conflict with Israel in June last year which culminated in US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

Following the talks in Geneva Friday, Iran struck a positive tone, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying a deal was “within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority.”

“We have a historic opportunity to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves mutual interests,” he said.

US President Donald Trump, however, said he was “not happy” with the progress in the talks, saying: “They don’t want to say the key words: ‘We’re not going to have a nuclear weapon.’”

Washington has been pushing for Iran to agree to never to have a nuclear weapons program, but Trump has remained skeptical of Tehran’s position that its nuclear program is only for civilian use.

Iranian media said on Saturday that Tehran was preparing “revenge” for the new strikes on the country.

As the US moved military assests into position in the Middle East in recent weeks, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued stark warnings that Tehran would retaliate over any attack.

“The US president keeps saying that they have the strongest military force in the world. The strongest military force in the world may at times be struck so hard that it cannot get up again,” Khamenei said last week.

“More dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea,” he said.

@0300 9 hr 57 min ago

Iran closes airspace, orders remote learning for schools

By Mostafa Salem

Iran has closed its airspace, Majid Akhavan, the spokesperson for the civil aviation organization, was cited as saying by state-affiliated media.

Schools have also been ordered shut and remote learning has been activated, Iranian media reported.

@0300 10 hr 11 min ago

US planning for several days of attacks, sources say

By Zachary Cohen and Alayna Treene

The US military is planning for several days of attacks, according to two sources.

President Donald Trump, in a video released shortly after the strikes began, said that US forces were undertaking “a massive and ongoing operation,” describing attacks targeting Iran’s military.

@0300 10 hr 8 min ago

Trump monitoring the strikes from Mar-a-Lago, White House official says

By Alayna Treene

President Donald Trump is continuing to monitor the US strikes in Iran from his Mar-a-Lago resort, a White House official told CNN.

He released a video message describing the rationale behind the strikes, urging Iranians to take over the government and warning that US lives could be lost.

@0300 10 hr 23 min ago

Israel names operation against Iran “Roaring Lion”

By Tal Shalev

Israel announced that the name of its new operation against Iran would be called “Roaring Lion,” according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

This name follows the operation in the 12-day war in June that Israel dubbed “Rising Lion.”

@0300 9 hr 37 min ago

Trump encourages Iranians to 'take over your government'

By Kevin Liptak

President Donald Trump encouraged Iranians to seize control of their government when US military operations conclude.

“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations,” the president said in a video message.

He said he was following through on an act his presidential predecessors had all stopped short of taking.

“For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond,” he said.

“America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach,” he went on.

“This is the moment for action,” the president concluded. “Do not let it pass.”

@1200 59 min ago

Timing of US-Israel attack on Iran bears symbolic meaning in Judaism as Netanyahu references holiday of Purim

By Tal Shalev

The timing of the US and Israeli attack on Iran bears symbolic meaning in Judaism, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referenced the upcoming holiday of Purim in his first statement.

“Twenty five hundred years ago, in ancient Persia, a tyrant rose against us with the very same goal, to utterly destroy our people,” Netanyahu said of the story, which takes place in what is now Iran. “Today as well, on Purim, the lot has fallen, and in the end this evil regime will fall too.”

Netanyahu frequently references religious events or symbols in his statements.

Ahead of the upcoming Jewish holiday , worshippers read a specific portion from the Old Testament, known as Zachor.

The passage from the book of Deuteronomy commands the ancient Israelites to remember an unprovoked attack by the nation of Amalek, located in modern-day Sinai and southern Israel, and to eradicate the memory of Amalek once the Israelites are settled in their land.

The passage is read publicly before Purim to fulfil what Jews consider the mitzvah – or commandment – of remembering Amalek as Israel’s achetypical enemy. Amalek is often referenced as an historical enemy of the Jewish people, and Netanyahu invoked it shortly after the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

@0230 10 hr 29 min ago

Trump warns US lives may be lost in mission in Iran

By Kevin Liptak

President Donald Trump said in his video that American lives may be lost as a result of his military operation inside Iran.

“The Iranian regime seeks to kill. The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties — that often happens in war — but we’re doing this not for now. We’re doing this for the future, and it is a noble mission,” the president said.

He he said the US had “taken every possible step to minimize the risk to US personnel in the region.”

@0230 10 hr 35 min ago

Trump is spending weekend in Mar-a-Lago, as US and Israel strike Iran

By Kit Maher

President Donald Trump is spending the weekend at his private club in Palm Beach, Florida as the US and Israel have carried out strikes on Iran.

The President traveled to Mar-a-Lago from the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, where he delivered remarks. He arrived at Mar-a-Lago at 9:01 p.m., according to reporters traveling with the president.

Trump’s public schedule lists him attending a meeting and dinner with MAGA Inc., a super PAC aligned with him, at 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

@0430 8 hr 44 min ago

Trump says military campaign is "massive and ongoing"

By Kevin Liptak

President Donald Trump described the military campaign in Iran as “massive and ongoing,” intended to prevent the country from putting US lives at risk.

“The United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests,” he said in a video message. “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.”

He said Iran had been working to rebuild its nuclear program after a June US bombing run on its nuclear facilities.

“They rejected every opportunity to renounce their nuclear ambitions, and we can’t take it anymore,” he said.

@0230 10 hr 22 min ago

Explosions were heard near Iran’s supreme leader’s residence and office

By Mostafa Salem and Adam Pourahmadi

Explosions were heard in Tehran’s Pasteur district, where the highly secure compound housing the residence and office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is located, Iranian state-affiliated news outlets said.

Fars News Agency said at least 7 missiles struck the area.

@0230 10 hr 29 min ago

Trump confirms in video message that military campaign in Iran has begun

By Kevin Liptak

President Donald Trump confirmed in a video posted to social media that the United States had begun a military campaign in Iran.

“Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people,” the president said in the video.

“Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas and our allies throughout the world,” he said in the eight-minute-long message.

“For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted Death to America and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries,” he said.

@0230 10 hr 43 min ago

Videos show smoke rising in Tehran

By Isaac Yee and Teele Rebane

Videos geolocated by CNN shows thick smoke rising in Tehran as Israel and the US launched strikes on the Iranian capital on Saturday morning.

Vahid Online/X

@0230 10 hr 31 min ago

Iran is "preparing for revenge," state-affiliated media says

By Todd Symons and Brad Lendon

Iran is preparing to retaliate following the joint strikes conducted by Israel and the United States on Saturday, according to state-affiliated media.

“Iran is preparing for revenge and a crushing response to the Zionist regime,” said Tasnim, a semi-official news agency linked to Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Analysts say Tehran possesses a wide range of options for retaliation, including short-range missile strikes on US bases in the region, or on a range of military and civilian sites in Israel. Iranian missiles could also targets US warships.

Besides missiles, Iran maintains smaller naval boats, drones and submarines that could present a threat to US ships in waters in and around the Persian Gulf.

@0200 10 hr 52 min ago

US strikes Iran again. Here's how we got here

By Nadeen Ebrahim

US President Donald Trump had been sending mixed signals about whether he planned to attack Iran, preparing for war while saying he favors dialogue.

The United States has moved military assets closer to the Middle East over the past few weeks, raising concerns that the prospects of war were growing.

Trump said on January 22 that the US had “an armada” moving toward Iran “just in case,” adding that while he would rather not “see anything happen,” the US is watching Iran “very closely.” Just hours earlier, that same day, he said that Iran wants to negotiate and that the US is willing to do so.

“Iran does want to talk, and we’ll talk,” Trump said at a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, without offering any more detail.

Trump’s stated reason for attacking Iran was to stop the regime from killing protesters. Since the protests began in late December, he has repeatedly warned that the US would hit Iran if the government used lethal force against civilians.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) says at least 5,520 protesters have been killed since the anti-government demonstrations began. Iranian authorities put the death toll at 3,117, including those identified as “civilians,” security forces and “terrorists.” CNN can’t independently verify the number of deaths.

Protests have since waned in Iran, subdued by security forces in the deadliest crackdown ever by the Islamic Republic.

@0230 10 hr 43 min ago

Tehran eyewitness tells CNN there were "a lot of explosions"

By CNN's Satish Cheney

A 35-year-old Tehran resident told CNN she was in her office when she and her colleagues saw “different places being hit” as well as planes in the sky.

“There was a lot of noise and explosions, and (it was) so terrifying. Everyone freaked out and started leaving,” she said.

“The situation is really bad, they’ve hit a few places and we saw that, but now we have to wait and see.”

@0200 10 hr 52 min ago

Israeli hospitals shift underground as Health Ministry orders highest readiness level

From CNN's Eugenia Yosef

Several of Israel’s largest hospitals have announced they are shifting to underground operations as the country’s Health Ministry orders the highest readiness level at medical facilities.

“The Ministry of Health has instructed hospitals to discharge patients who do not require hospitalization,” the ministry said in a statement as it ordered hospitals to move to underground facilities.

Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center has opened its underground emergency hospital, the hospital said in a statement, and has begun moving patients and departments to the hardened facility.

“Sensitive units have already begun operating in protected spaces,” the hospital said.

Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan is preparing to relocate its departments to its underground facilties, the hospital said.

“All medical, nursing, and logistical teams are prepared and ready to provide optimal and rapid medical care to every patient,” the hospital said.

Rambam hospital in Haifa said in a statement that it is clearing its underground parking facilities to prepare for “an emergency state.”

“The public is requested not to arrive except in urgent and emergency medical situations,” the hospital said.

Meanwhile, Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency response service, said it is in full coordination with Home Front Command, the Israeli military, and the Ministry of Health as they move from routine operations to emergency operations.

@0200 10 hr 55 min ago

Strikes are focused on military targets, US official says

By Jeremy Diamond and Zachary Cohen

A US official says the US strikes are currently focused on military targets, but declined to elaborate citing an ongoing operation.

Another US official said the goal of the strikes is to address the Iranian military threat and protect US forces. The US put in place measures to protect US military personnel in the region ahead of the action, the first official said.

@0200 10 hr 51 min ago

US ambassador to Israel encourages US citizens to take "immediate action" at sound of sirens

By Samantha Waldenberg

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee encouraged US citizens in Israel to be ready to take “immediate action” should alerts or sirens sound in the country.

“We are encouraging all Embassy team & families & US citizens in Israel to be prepared for Home Front Command alerts & sirens. Stay near shelters & take immediate action at the sound of alerts or sirens,” Ambassador Huckabee wrote on X.

@0200 10 hr 58 min ago

US carrying out strikes against Iran, three US officials say

From CNN's Jeremy Diamond, Kevin Liptak and Haley Britzky

The US is carrying out strikes on Iran, three US officials tell CNN. One official said the strikes are in progress, describing them as “not a small strike.”

@0200 11 hr 8 min ago

This is the second US attack on Iran in less than a year

By Nadeen Ebrahim

The last time the United States struck Iranian soil was June 2025 when President Donald Trump ordered warplanes to drop massive bombs on three nuclear sites inside Iran.

With that strike, he became the first American president to authorize an attack on Iran after nearly half a century of animosity with the Islamic Republic.

In retaliation, Iran fired about a dozen short- and medium-range ballistic missiles at the al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military installation in the Middle East.

Soon afterward, the US president announced a ceasefire and warned Israel against dropping more bombs on Iran.

@0200 10 hr 55 min ago

Strikes reported in multiple Iranian cities, state media says

By Brad Lendon

Strikes have been reported in the Iranian cities of Isfahan, Qom, Lorestan, Karaj, Kermanshah and Tabriz as well as the capital Tehran, according to the state-run news agencies Fars and IRNA.

Video shows smoke rising over the Iranian capital.

9 hr 49 min ago

Attack coordinated with the United States, Israeli source tells CNN

By Tal Shalev

Israel’s strike on Iran on Saturday morning was coordinated with the United States, an Israeli source told CNN.

It’s unclear at this early stage if it was a unilateral Israeli strike or if the US also took part in the attack.

The Israeli strike targeted ballistic missiles and missile launchers, which Israel has viewed as a serious threat.

@0200 11 hr 8 min ago

Israel orders essential activity only across country

By Eugenia Yosef

Israel’s Home Front Command ordered the public to carry out essential activities only across the country following its strikes on Iran.

The newly announced restrictions prohibit public gatherings, going to work, and going to school.

An exception is made for what Israel calls “exceptional sectors.”

@0300 9 hr 48 min ago

Israel closes airspace after strikes on Iran

By Eugenia Yosef

Israel closed its airspace on Saturday morning, the Transportation Ministry said, after the country carried out strikes on Iran.

@0300 9 hr 47 min ago

Israel launches strike against Iran, declares state of emergency across country

By CNN's Oren Liebermann

Israel launched what it called a “preemptive strike” against Iran Saturday morning, according to Defense Minister Israel Katz, as a state of emergency was declared across the country.

The government declared the state of emergency because of the expectation of Iranian retaliation with drones and ballistic missiles.

Begin ↑ 0320

ATTACHMENT “C” – FROM FOX

US, ISRAEL LAUNCH ATTACK ON IRAN AS TRUMP ANNOUNCES 'MAJOR COMBAT OPERATIONS'

The United States and Israel launched a massive coordinated military offensive targeting Iran known as "Operation Epic Fury." President Donald Trump had warned of possible U.S. intervention in response to deadly anti-regime protests and if Iran did not accept a sweeping nuclear deal.

Covered by: Efrat Lachter, Morgan Phillips, Benjamin Weinthal, Michael Sinkewicz, Alexandra Koch, Rachel Wolf, Michael Dorgan, Elizabeth Elkind, Alex Miller, Andrew Mark Miller, Amanda Macias, Emma Colton and Alex Nitzberg

Last Update February 28, 2026, 1:10 PM EST

President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that the U.S. is carrying out "major combat operations in Iran." In a video posted to Truth Social, Trump said the objective is to defend Americans by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, describing it as "a vicious group of very hard, terrible people."

In his message, Trump urged the Iranian regime to "lay down" its weapons or "face certain death." Calling it their "only chance for generations," Trump urged the people of Iran to "take over your government" after the operation.

The United States military attack against the Iran is named "Operation Epic Fury." Israel, which coordinated the daytime morning blitz with the U.S., announced the Jewish State's mission as “Operation Roaring Lion."

The joint military operation is expected to carry on for days. Officials tell Fox News that Israel is targeting Iranian leadership, while the U.S. is targeting military targets and ballistic missile sites that pose an "imminent threat."

FBI raises alert nationwide

The FBI's counterterrorism and counterintelligence teams are on elevated alert nationwide, a bureau official told Fox News' Peter Doocy Saturday.

The bureau did not immediately elaborate on how long it will remain in effect.

The move comes as U.S. operations against Iran continue and tensions escalate across the region.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she is "in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland."

Posted by Michael Dorgan

@1300 12 mins ago

Mamdani rips Trump's 'catastrophic' Iran attack: 'Americans don't want this'

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran mark a "catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression."

"Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this," the Mamdani continued. "They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace."

Mamdani said he was "focused on making sure that every New Yorker is safe" and is in contact with the New York City Police Department commissioner and emergency management officials.

"We are taking proactive steps, including increasing coordination across agencies and enhancing patrols of sensitive locations out of an abundance of caution," he said.

"Additionally, I want to speak directly to Iranian New Yorkers: you are part of the fabric of this city — you are our neighbors, small business owners, students, artists, workers, and community leaders. You will be safe here," the mayor added.

Posted by Andrew Mark Miller

@begin

@1300 17 mins ago

Netanyahu sends subtle message with book on desk during Trump call

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's photo of him speaking with President Donald Trump during the strikes on Iran had a subtle message. In front of the prime minister is a map and sitting on top of the map is a book entitled "Allies at War: The Politics of Defeating Hitler."

The book, which has the U.K. version of the title, according to X, is gives the history of World War II alliances based on more than 100 archives, including tensions among the the Allied Powers. The use of the book in the photo could be seen as a nod to cooperation between the U.S. and Israel, both of which carried out attacks against Iran on Saturday.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

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@1230 47 mins ago

Iran strikes test Saudi, UAE roles and Europe’s resolve

The U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran will dramatically impact America's allies in the region, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

"If any casualties take place on their territory, as has been reported already, that could change the nature of their involvement potentially beyond participation in air defense efforts and opening their air space to U.S. and Israeli overflight," said Jacob Olidort, director of American security at America First Policy Institute.

Another major factor on the future of operations in Iran will be how European allies respond.

"A decisive inflection point will be the involvement of European allies, and their measured responses to date represent the acute threat posed by Iran’s terror network across Europe and the potential escalation against soft targets and bases, particularly in light of Iran’s recent threats against European navies and air forces,” Olidort said.

Posted by Andrew Mark Miller

@1230 45 mins ago

Newsom agrees Iran leadership 'must go' but blasts Trump's methods

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom reacted to President Donald Trump's move to attack Iran in a Saturday social media post.

"The corrupt and repressive Iranian regime must never have nuclear weapon," Newsom, widely seen as a top White House contender in 2028, posted on X. "The leadership of Iran must go. "

"But that does not justify the President of the United States engaging in an illegal, dangerous war that will risk the lives of our American service members and our friends without justification to the American people."

Newsom went on to accuse Trump of "putting Americans at risk abroad because he is unpopular at home."

The U.S. and Israel launched the joint attack just after 9 a.m. local time in what the Pentagon has dubbed "Operation Epic Fury."

In video remarks posted to Truth Social, Trump addressed the Iranian people directly and told them to "seize control of [their] destiny."

"The hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take," Trump said. "This will be, probably, your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for America's help, but you never got it. No President was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight. Now you have a President who is giving you what you want."

Posted by Andrew Mark Miller

@1230 45 mins ago

What is the Tomahawk missile? The weapon that opened the US strike on Iran

The USS Barry launches a Tomahawk cruise missile on March 29, 2011, from the Mediterranean Sea. (US Navy photo)

The first missile in the U.S. arsenal used against Iranian targets in Saturday's pre-dawn strike was the Tomahawk, a long-range cruise missile launched from Navy ships and submarines.

About half the length of a standard telephone pole, the Tomahawk flies at the speed of a commercial airliner and can carry a 1,000-pound warhead about the distance from Washington, D.C., to Miami.

The missile has been a mainstay of the Navy’s arsenal since the 1980s and was first used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War. In the decades since, it has become a go-to option for presidents seeking to strike targets from long range without putting U.S. service members in harm’s way.

“Tomahawks are the longest-range cruise missile we have and the one presidents reach for first and often,” said Thomas Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

But demand has outpaced supply, he noted.

“We’ve been using them far more frequently than we’ve been producing them,” he added.

Overall, the Tomahawk has been deployed more than 2,350 times.

This is an excerpt, read the full story here.

Posted by Amanda Macias

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@1230 47 mins ago

Jeffries demands war powers vote on Iran, claims Trump doing 'exact opposite' of campaign promise

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., asserted that President Donald Trump's administration must provide Congress and Americans a solid justification for attacking Iran, and convey a plan to prevent a protracted "military quagmire" in the region.

"Donald Trump promised to keep America out of costly and endless foreign wars. He is now doing the exact opposite in the Middle East. Congress must vote on a War Powers resolution immediately," Jeffries declared in a post on X.

Jeffries has said that Trump's decision to launch a U.S. military operation in Iran leaves American troops in danger of retaliation.

"Overnight, Donald Trump announced the start of massive and ongoing military operations against Iran. The framers of the United States Constitution gave Congress the sole power to declare war as the branch of government closest to the American people," Jeffries said in a statement.

"Iran is a bad actor and must be aggressively confronted for its human rights violations, nuclear ambitions, support of terrorism and the threat it poses to our allies like Israel and Jordan in the region. However, absent exigent circumstances, the Trump administration must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war," he continued.

"Donald Trump failed to seek Congressional authorization prior to striking Iran. Instead, the President’s decision to abandon diplomacy and launch a massive military attack has left American troops vulnerable to Iran’s retaliatory actions. We pray for the safety of the men and women of the U.S. military as they have been put into harm’s way in a dangerous theater of war," Jeffries said in the statement.

"If Iran’s nuclear program was 'completely and totally obliterated' by the military strikes in June 2025, as Donald Trump boldly proclaimed, there should be no need to strike them now. Equally troublesome, the advancement of security and stability in the Middle East requires more than military might, as we painfully discovered in several failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Trump administration must explain itself to the American people and Congress immediately, provide an ironclad justification for this act of war, clearly define the national security objective and articulate a plan to avoid another costly, prolonged military quagmire in the Middle East," Jeffries asserted.

"The War Powers Resolution introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie demands that President Trump remove U.S. forces from hostilities in Iran absent Congressional authorization. House Democrats remain committed to compelling a vote on this resolution upon our return," the congressman declared.

Posted by Alex Nitzberg

@1230 49 mins ago

AOC condemns US-Israeli strikes on Iran, accuses Trump of dragging Americans into war

AOC condemns US-Israeli strikes on Iran, accuses Trump of dragging Americans into war

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks at TU Berlin. (Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., slammed President Donald Trump as the U.S. and Israel strike Iran.

The progressive "Squad" member accused Trump of dragging Americans into war and not caring about the long-term consequences.

"The American people are once again dragged into a war they did not want by a president who does not care about the long-term consequences of his actions. This war is unlawful. It is unnecessary. And it will be catastrophic," Ocasio-Cortez asserted in the statement.

"Just this week, Iran and the United States were negotiating key measures that could have staved off war. The President walked away from these discussions and chose war instead. President Trump flippantly acknowledged the possibility of American casualties, stating 'that often happens in war'." she continued.

"Mr. President: this was not an inevitability," she said. "This is a deliberate choice of aggression when diplomacy and security were within reach. Stop lying to the American people."

“Violence begets violence. We learned this lesson in Iraq. We learned this lesson in Afghanistan. And we are about to learn it again in Iran. Bombs have yet to create enduring democracies in the region and this will be no different," she added. "In moments of war, our Constitution is unambiguous: Congress authorizes war. The President does not. I will do my part to uphold our Constitution by voting YES on Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie’s War Powers Resolution. Every member of Congress must join us in rejecting this aimless war."

Fox News' Daniel Scully contributed to this report

Posted by Alex Nitzberg

1200 1 hour ago

Trump monitored the attacks on Iran, spoke with Netanyahu, White House says

President Donald Trump was monitoring the overnight attacks on Iran from Mar-a-Lago while surrounded by his national security team, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Saturday. Leavitt confirmed that Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as their countries carried out attacks on Iran.

"Prior to the attacks, Secretary Rubio called all members of the gang of eight to provide congressional notification, and he was able to reach and brief seven of the eight members," Leavitt said.

"The President and his national security team will continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the day," she added.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

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1 hour ago

Capito backs strikes in Iran, hopes for briefings from Trump administration 'soon'

The Senate’s fourth highest ranking Republican backed President Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran, and hopes for a briefing “soon” on the action in the Middle East.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., and chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, said in a statement that Trump had given “the Iranian regime countless opportunities to stand down, stop killing their people, and abandon their nuclear ambitions.”

“Instead of choosing a peaceful path, they have doubled down on weapons designed to threaten the American people,” Moore Capito said. “I am following U.S. operations in Iran very closely, and I look forward to receiving briefings soon.”

“In the meantime, I will continue to monitor developments as we work to ensure the safety and security of Americans at home and abroad,” she continued. “My prayers are with the brave men and women who serve our country in uniform.”

Moore Capito joined the rest of Senate Republican leadership in backing Operation Epic Fury, which saw the U.S. and Israel jointly strike Iran on Saturday.

Trump said that the strikes were meant to liberate the Iranian people from the current regime, eliminate imminent threats to the U.S. from Iran, and to snuff out any nuclear ambitions — “they can never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

"I do not make this statement lightly; the Iranian regime seeks to kill," Trump said. "The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties — that often happens in war. But we're doing this not for now. We're doing it for the future, and it is a noble mission."

Posted by Alex Miller

1 hour ago

Tlaib calls on Congress to 'exert war powers' to 'stop this deranged president'

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a fierce Trump critic, is calling on Congress to intervene and stop President Trump's move to strike Iran.

"Congress must stop the bloodshed by immediately reconvening to exert its war powers and stop this deranged president," the Michigan Democrat posted on X on Saturday. "But let’s be clear: warmongering politicians from both parties support this illegal war, and it will take a mass anti-war movement to stop it."

Tlaib has posted several critiques of Trump on X since the U.S. launched the strike alongside Israel around 9 a.m. local time, including a post reacting to a clip of Trump acknowledging the possibility of U.S. casualties in the attack.

"He doesn't care about our loved ones in the military," Tlaib said about Trump. "He doesn't care about the fact that Americans don't want this war. "He doesn't care about the Iranian people. He is corrupted. Don't fall for the lies."

Posted by Andrew Mark Miller

1 hour ago

Bessent says US tracking 'illegal funds being moved out of Iran,' reasserts Trump's 'amnesty' pledge

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said President Donald Trump’s Operation Epic Fury targets Iran’s ruling regime and offers amnesty to combatants who stand down.

“@POTUS has unleashed Operation Epic Fury on the brutal Iranian regime,” Bessent wrote on social media. “He has called for all combatants to put down their weapons and receive amnesty.”

Bessent said the Treasury Department will continue enforcing Trump’s maximum pressure campaign, tracking what he described as illegal funds moved outside Iran and working to recover them.

“The @USTreasury reaffirms our commitment to President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign tracking all illegal funds moved outside of Iran, and to retrieving these monies on behalf of the Iranian people,” he wrote.

Posted by Michael Dorgan

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1 hour ago

No confirmed US casualties in Iranian counterattacks: US official

No U.S. fatalities or injuries have been confirmed as part of Iran’s counterattacks following American strikes Saturday, a U.S. official told Fox News Digital.

Damage assessments remain ongoing as officials evaluate the impact of missile and drone launches targeting U.S. facilities across the Middle East. Several bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait were placed on heightened alert amid the retaliation.

U.S. embassies in parts of the region have also issued security notices urging Americans to shelter in place, while military installations continue operating under elevated force protection conditions.

Iran’s barrage came after coordinated U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear-linked targets earlier Saturday. Regional governments reported intercepting many of the incoming projectiles, though the full extent of any structural damage has not been publicly detailed.

The situation remains fluid, and assessments could change as additional information becomes available.

Posted by Morgan Phillips

1 hour ago

UN chief condemns US-Israeli strikes, Iran's retaliation in one statement

United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the military actions in the Middle East, including the strikes by the U.S. and Israel in Operation Epic Fury, as well as Iran's retaliation. Guterres claimed that the actions "undermine international peace & security" and that they violate the U.N. Charter.

"I condemn today’s military escalation in the Middle East... I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities & de-escalation. Failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians & regional stability. I strongly encourage all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table," Guterres said.

"I reiterate that there is no viable alternative to the peaceful settlement of international disputes, in full accordance with international law, including the UN Charter. The Charter provides the foundation for the maintenance of international peace and security," he added.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

1 hour ago

Iran state news agencies hit by cyberattacks

Cyberattacks disrupted Iranian state media Saturday as the United States and Israel launched a sweeping joint military operation across Iran, according to Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin.

“There have been cyberattacks across Iran, and the internet is not up and working,” Griffin reported on “FOX & Friends.” “But the cyber attacks have focused on the news agencies like Irna, which is the state run television.”

The cyber disruptions came as U.S. and Israeli forces struck military and leadership targets in what Griffin described as an open-ended campaign expected to last “not hours, but days.”

“It was a joint operation from the get-go,” she said.

The cyberattacks unfolded alongside the broader military campaign as strikes targeted sites in Tehran and elsewhere across the country.

Posted by Michael Dorgan

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1 hour ago

UK to convene United Nations security meeting in NYC as US, Israel attack Iran

UK to convene United Nations security meeting in NYC as US, Israel attack Iran

Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

The U.K. is set to convene the United Nations Security Council in New York City on Saturday as the U.S. and Israel carry out Operation Epic Fury against Iran. The meeting is set to take place at 4:00 p.m. local time.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon will address the meeting, the Israeli U.N. Mission confirmed.

"The State of Israel is strong, united and determined to defend its citizens against any existential threat. Israel will never allow an Iranian nuclear state," Danon said in a statement.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

2 hours ago

Civilian casualty claims mount after reported Iran school strike, CENTCOM opens review

Civilian casualty claims mount after reported Iran school strike, CENTCOM opens review

Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images

U.S. Central Command is investigating reports that a girls school in southern Iran was struck during recent military operations, with Iranian state media claiming students were killed.

“We are aware of reports concerning civilian harm resulting from ongoing military operations,” CENTCOM spokesman Tim Hawkins said in a Saturday statement to CNN. “We take these reports seriously and are looking into them. The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimize the risk of unintended harm.”

Iran’s state-run media has reported that at least five students were killed when a girls school in southern Iran was hit amid the strikes, though those numbers have not been independently confirmed by U.S. officials.

CENTCOM’s statement indicates the U.S. military is reviewing the incident as part of its normal assessment process when credible allegations of civilian harm arise.

Posted by Morgan Phillips

2 hours ago

Israel launches new strikes on Iranian missile launchers

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday that hit had begun a flyover and was striking missile launchers in Iran as Operation Epic Fury unfolds.

The Associated Press, citing the semiofficial news agency Fars news, reported that explosion had been heard near the city of Shiraz in southern Iran.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

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2 hours ago

Schumer demands Iran briefing for Congress, calls on Senate to immediately return to rein in Trump's

Schumer demands Iran briefing for Congress, calls on Senate to immediately return to rein in Trump's

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., accused the Trump administration of not providing Congress nor Americans “critical details about the scope and immediacy of the threat” from Iran.

“The administration must brief Congress, including an immediate all senators classified briefing and in public testimony, to answer these vital questions,” Schumer said in a statement. “The Senate should quickly return to session and reassert its constitutional duty by passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act.”

Schumer, along with other congressional leaders from the Gang of Eight, was briefed on the situation in Iran earlier this week by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“When I talked to Secretary Rubio, I implored him to be straight with Congress and the American people about the objectives of these strikes and what comes next,” Schumer said. “Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home.”

Schumer, like most congressional Democrats, has routinely bucked President Donald Trump’s use of military force across the globe during his second term.

He said that tackling Iran’s activity in the region, nuclear ambitions and oppression of their own people demanded “American strength, resolve, regional coordination, and strategic clarity.”

“Unfortunately, President Trump’s fitful cycles of lashing out and risking wider conflict are not a viable strategy,” Schumer said.

Posted by Alex Miller

2 hours ago

Departure flights for US military families in Bahrain paused after missile attack

Departure flights for US military families in Bahrain paused after missile attack

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via Reuters

Departure flights for U.S. military families in Bahrain have been paused following missile attacks targeting the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, according to Stars and Stripes. Smoke was seen rising over Manama, Bahrain, Saturday after the naval base was struck, though officials have not released details on the extent of damage or any casualties.

The Department of War had authorized voluntary departures for military dependents earlier Saturday after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. An emergency alert sent to families allowed them to book flights on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to Stripes. However, by 2 p.m. local time, officials announced departure flights were on hold pending further notice and instructed personnel to continue sheltering.

Explosions were heard across Bahrain as residents took cover, but it remains unclear what specific targets were hit.

U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. Bahrain hosts Naval Forces Central Command and is one of the few accompanied duty stations in the region.

Posted by Morgan Phillips

2 hours ago

Graham says Saudi recognition of Israel would be historic reset as ‘mothership of terrorism’ falls

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Saturday that a potential collapse of Iran’s regime could trigger the biggest geopolitical shift in the Middle East in “a thousand years” and called on Saudi Arabia to move to recognize Israel if Tehran falls.

“If Saudi Arabia, the most important voice in Islam, would recognize the one and only Jewish state, that is a blow to terrorism worse than bombs,” Graham told “Fox & Friends.”

“The mothership of terrorism is about to go down.”’

Graham described the moment as a “new dawn” for the region, arguing the current pressure campaign had set in motion the regime’s demise and would ultimately bring the regime down.

He also unleashed a blistering attack on Iran’s supreme leader, saying, “I hope the Ayatollah is captured or killed. He’s a miserable human being. He’s Hitler in a robe.”

Graham accused the regime of killing “over 30,000 of his own people to maintain power” and called the Ayatollah a “religious Nazi.”

The South Carolina Republican predicted that once the regime collapses, Saudi Arabia will return to normalization talks with Israel that were close before the Oct. 7 terror attacks.

“If Saudi Arabia recognizes Israel, it will be the biggest change in a thousand years in the history of the region,” Graham said, arguing such a move would cause Iran-backed terror networks to collapse.

He also hailed President Donald Trump as the “most consequential” president on Middle East policy in his lifetime and said Trump’s strategy had set the region on a path toward transformation.

Posted by Michael Dorgan

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2 hours ago

Trump critic Carney expresses support for US and Israel's strikes on Iran

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, has expressed support for Operation Epic Fury. The prime minister noted that, despite repeated warnings from the international community, "ran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups."

"Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Iran’s oppressive regime... Canada reaffirms Israel’s right to defend itself and to ensure the security of its people," Carney said in a statement posted on X.

"Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security," he added.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

2 hours ago

Europe’s top powers push diplomacy after strikes on Iran

Europe’s top powers push diplomacy after strikes on Iran

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stand together (Thomas Kienzle/ AFP/Getty Images).

The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom on Saturday called for renewed negotiations with Iran following military strikes targeting the country, saying they remain committed to regional stability but did not participate in the operation.

In a statement released from the French presidential palace, the three European powers said they are in close contact with international partners, including the U.S., Israel and regional allies.

“We did not participate in these strikes,” the statement said, while reaffirming their commitment to protecting civilian lives and maintaining stability in the region.

The leaders reiterated long-standing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, ballistic missile development and what they described as destabilizing activities in the region and beyond.

They also condemned what they called “appalling violence and repression” by Iranian authorities against their own people.

The three countries strongly condemned Iranian attacks on regional states and urged Tehran to refrain from what they described as indiscriminate military strikes.

They called for a resumption of negotiations and pressed Iran’s leadership to pursue a diplomatic solution, adding that “ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future."

Posted by Amanda Macias

2 hours ago

Rand Paul bucks Trump on Iran, 'I must oppose another Presidential war'

Rand Paul bucks Trump on Iran, 'I must oppose another Presidential war'

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., broke from President Donald Trump and the vast majority of congressional Republicans on the president’s strikes against Iran, arguing Congress should have had a say.

Paul, in a lengthy post on X, quoted former President John Quincy Adams, who argued that “the executive branch is the branch most prone to war, therefore, the Constitution, with studied care, delegated the war power to the legislature.”

“As with all war, my first and purest instinct is wish Americans soldiers safety and success in their mission,” Paul said. “But my oath of office is to the Constitution, so with studied care, I must oppose another Presidential war.”

Paul has routinely pushed back against the administration’s use of force throughout Trump’s second term, and has often partnered with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., to push votes on war powers resolutions that would rein in the president’s use of the military without congressional approval.

Both Paul and Kaine already had a war powers resolution in place to curb Trump’s military usage in Iran, with a vote expected in the coming week.

Kaine already demanded that the Senate return to vote on their war powers resolution.

Posted by Alex Miller

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2 hours ago

Omar, Squad lash out at Trump in response to Iran strike: 'Illegal regime change war'

Omar, Squad lash out at Trump in response to Iran strike: 'Illegal regime change war'

POLITICS

Omar, Squad lash out at Trump in response to Iran strike: 'Illegal regime change war'

President Trump's decision to attack Iran was quickly slammed by progressive members of the House including Reps. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Greg Casar.

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, one of President Donald Trump's most vocal critics, spoke out against the U.S. attack on Iran in a Saturday morning social media post.

"Trump has launched an illegal regime change war," the Minnesota Democrat posted on X. "As someone who has survived the horrors of war, I know military strikes will not make us safer; they will inflame tensions and push the region further into chaos."

Omar, a Somali refugee, added, "When we abandon diplomacy, we choose destruction."

Earlier in the day, Omar reposted a message from Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who also criticized Trump's actions.

"He doesn't care about our loved ones in the military," Tlaib's post said. "He doesn't care about the fact that Americans don't want this war. He doesn't care about the Iranian people. He is corrupted. Don't fall for the lies."

Posted by Andrew Mark Miller

2 hours ago

Leader Thune backs Trump's strikes in Iran despite 'dogged pursuit' by administration to resolve pea

Leader Thune backs Trump's strikes in Iran despite 'dogged pursuit' by administration to resolve pea

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., lauded President Donald Trump’s strikes against Iran as an action taken after all other diplomatic avenues were exhausted.

“For years, Iran’s relentless nuclear ambitions, its expanded ballistic missile inventory, and its unwavering support for terror groups in the region have posed a clear and unacceptable threat to U.S. servicemembers, citizens in the region, and many of our allies,” Thune said in a statement.

“Despite the dogged efforts of the president and his administration, the Iranian regime has refused the diplomatic off-ramps that would peacefully resolve these national security concerns,” he continued. “I commend President Trump for taking action to thwart these threats.”

Thune earlier in the week said ahead of the strikes that the most important aspect of the then ongoing negotiations with Iran was “to prevent them from having nuclear capability.”

“In my view, if you're going to do something there, you better well make it about getting new leadership and regime change,” Thune said.

He and other congressional leaders were briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier in the week, and a source familiar told Fox News Digital that Thune had been pinged ahead of the strikes, just as House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had.

“I thank Secretary Rubio for providing updates on these issues throughout the week, and I look forward to administration officials briefing all senators about these military operations,” Thune said. “I commend the bravery of the servicemembers carrying out these operations and pray for the safety of those in harm’s way.”

Posted by Alex Miller

3 hours ago

Israel targets Iran’s supreme leader in sweeping strikes as US joins ‘Operation Epic Fury’

Israel targets Iran’s supreme leader in sweeping strikes as US joins ‘Operation Epic Fury’

Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP

In a sweeping pre-dawn bombing campaign across Iran, Israeli forces targeted sites linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a senior Israeli official confirmed to Fox News. The official said Iran’s president was also targeted as part of the joint U.S. operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury.

Reuters reported that Khamenei was not in Tehran during the strikes and was instead transferred to a secure location.

President Donald Trump described the "massive and ongoing" operation as the opening phase of a campaign that he said would devastate Iran’s military, dismantle its nuclear program and ultimately bring about regime change.

"It will be yours to take," Trump said in a video statement addressing the Iranian public.

Hours later, Tehran signaled it would not back down, saying it would defend itself against any attack.

"This will be probably your only chance for generations," he added. Officials in Tehran said the country would defend itself against any attack.

This is an excerpt from a story written by Amanda Macias.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

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3 hours ago

Kaine demands Senate return, immediately vote to curb Trump's ‘idiotic’ strikes in Iran

Kaine demands Senate return, immediately vote to curb Trump's ‘idiotic’ strikes in Iran

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., wants the Senate to immediately return to Washington, D.C., to put a check on President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran.

“Has President Trump learned nothing from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East,” Kaine questioned in a statement Saturday. “Is he too mentally incapacitated to realize that we had a diplomatic agreement with Iran that was keeping its nuclear program in check, until he ripped it up during his first term?”

Kaine, along with Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., have been the main opponents in the upper chamber to Trump’s use of the military across the globe, be it in the Caribbean or Middle East. Time and again the duo have sought to rein in his power and reassert Congress’ authority.

The lawmaker earlier this week announced that another war powers resolution, this time geared toward preventing military action in Iran without Congress’ say-so, would be hitting the Senate floor next week.

“These strikes are a colossal mistake, and I pray they do not cost our sons and daughters in uniform and at embassies throughout the region their lives,” Kaine said. “The Senate should immediately return to session and vote on my War Powers Resolution to block the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran.”

“Every single Senator needs to go on the record about this dangerous, unnecessary, and idiotic action,” he continued.

Posted by Alex Miller

3 hours ago

House Democrat defends Trump's strikes on Iran: 'Stop them from taking more lives'

President Donald Trump’s strikes in Iran got rare Democratic support on Saturday morning.

Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, released a statement pointing out that Tehran has long destabilized the Middle East and that the U.S. strikes were “targeting military infrastructure – with warnings to Iranian civilians to take shelter away from these military targets.”

“The U.S. is destroying Iran’s missiles and bombs to stop them from taking more lives,” Landsman said. “For decades, the regime has caused mayhem and bloodshed through Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen – all while the people of Iran have suffered. When the Iranian people stood up to protest the regime last month, the regime murdered tens of thousands of its own people.”

“I want a lasting peace for everyone in the region – from the Iranian people to the Lebanese, Palestinians, Syrians, Iraqis, Jordanians, and Israelis. I hope these targeted strikes on the Iranian regime’s military assets ends the regime’s mayhem and bloodshed and makes way for this lasting peace in the region.”

While not mentioning Trump directly, he thanked U.S. service members in the region and said, “May peace emerge from all of this.”

Posted by Elizabeth Elkind

3 hours ago

Dem compares Trump’s Iran strikes to same ‘foolish decision’ made by Bush

Dem compares Trump’s Iran strikes to same ‘foolish decision’ made by Bush

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J.

Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., warned that President Donald Trump was making the same mistake as one of his predecessors with Operation Epic Fury.

“By launching strikes, President Trump has made the same dangerous and foolish decision President Bush did a generation ago,” Kim said on X. “He put Americans in harm’s way without clearly showing there’s an imminent threat to our national security.”

Trump’s remarks in the early morning hours of Saturday pitched the joint operation with Israel as a means to empower Iran’s people to “seize control of [their] destiny.”

Last summer, Trump launched Operation Midnight Hammer to ensure the Iranian government was incapable of creating a nuclear bomb. Ahead of Saturday's strikes, Trump refused to rule out the possibility of U.S. strikes if Iran could not agree to a sweeping nuclear deal. The president had also warned of possible U.S. intervention in response to the regime's deadly crackdown on protesters.

“They can never have a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

Whether that reasoning will fly with lawmakers is a mixed bag.

Kim charged that Trump had “once again started a cycle of violence that has already escalated and could spiral out of control,” and demanded that the Senate vote on a war powers resolution to rein in his military authority in the region.

“This is unacceptable,” Kim said.

Posted by Alex Miller

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3 hours ago

Levin calls for unity after Iran strike: 'You are either on Team America or you are not'

Conservative commentator and Fox News host Mark Levin reacted to the U.S. attack on Iran in a lengthy X post on Saturday morning, saying, "GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR PRESIDENT, AND OUR ARMED FORCES."

In the X post, Levin said it is "very important" that the American people show President Trump, the U.S. armed forces, and the world that the country is "united in this greatest of peace missions."

"And let us be clear that those politicians and media outlets that resort to their usual efforts at sabotaging our country for personal political and ideological purposes will not be tolerated -- we will take note and you will suffer at the ballot box and in your precious ratings," Levin, one of the most prominent voices supporting military actions in Iran, wrote in his post.

"You are either on Team America or you are not," Levin said, adding that he could "not be prouder" of the president and members of his administration.

Levin praised our allies who were involved in the strike, both known and unknown, especially Israel, which he said is "fighting alongside us as brothers and sisters."

Levin called the strikes a "monumental and historic peace mission" that will put an end to the "illegitimate Islamist-Nazi regime" in Iran.

Levin then spoke directly to the Iranian people:

"And to the Persian people, you have suffered horribly, and long enough. You are a great people who have always wanted freedom and peace. I truly believe that you will once again be able to rise up against these mass murderers, but this time can succeed with our help. Our President is a great man with deep compassion and incredible courage. He is a historic figure who seeks peace throughout the world. He is the great liberator. The same is true of Israel's incredible Prime Minister. These are truly remarkable men. God bless them and the armed forces who are bravely fighting for our security and freedom, and liberating tens of millions of Persian citizens."

Posted by Andrew Mark Miller

3 hours ago

State Dept urges US citizens to depart Lebanon now 'while commercial options remain available'

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut has advised U.S. citizens still in Lebanon to leave "while commercial options remain available" as the U.S. and Israel hit Iran with Operation Epic Fury. Additionally, the embassy urged U.S. citizens not to travel to Lebanon.

"Americans who choose not to depart at this time should prepare contingency plans should the situation deteriorate. These alternative plans should not rely on the U.S. government for assisted departure or evacuation," the embassy said in a statement. "We recommend that U.S. citizens who choose not to depart be prepared to shelter in place should the situation deteriorate further."

Posted by Rachel Wolf

3 hours ago

If Khamenei falls, who takes Iran? Strikes will expose power vacuum — and the IRGC’s grip

If Khamenei falls, who takes Iran? Strikes will expose power vacuum — and the IRGC’s grip

Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP

As U.S. and Israeli forces strike deep inside Iran — reportedly targeting senior regime officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian — the question of who would lead Iran if the Islamic Republic collapses is no longer theoretical.

Iran has retaliated with missile barrages against U.S. positions across the Middle East, and while Iranian state media says top leaders remain alive and have been moved to secure locations, the direct targeting of political and military leadership marks a dramatic escalation.

Yet despite the intensity of the moment, regional analysts say there is no obvious successor poised to take control of the country.

Experts consistently point to one determining factor: whether Iran’s coercive institutions — particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — fracture or consolidate.

If the IRGC remains cohesive, the most likely outcome is not democratic transition but a harder, more openly security-dominated system. A clerical reshuffle or military-led consolidation could preserve much of the existing power structure even if key figures are removed.

One of the most prominent opposition figures abroad is Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran’s last shah. He has lived outside Iran since the 1979 revolution and has spent decades advocating for a secular, democratic system.

Posted by Morgan Phillips

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3 hours ago

Fetterman praises Operation Epic Fury: Trump is 'willing to do what's right'

As one of Israel's staunchest defenders from the left, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., full-throatedly endorsed President Donald Trump's attacks on Iran as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle reacted Saturday morning.

"President Trump has been willing to do what's right and necessary to produce real peace in the region," Fetterman wrote on X. "God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel."

Posted by Rachel Wolf

4 hours ago

Trump admin briefed House Speaker Mike Johnson ahead of Iran strikes

Trump admin briefed House Speaker Mike Johnson ahead of Iran strikes

Speaker Mike Johnson was briefed ahead of the strikes on Iran, his spokesperson said. (Credit: Getty Images)

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was notified by the Trump administration before strikes on Iran were carried out, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Saturday morning.

Johnson got a call from Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the joint operation between the U.S. and Israel began.

It’s customary for an administration to brief congressional leadership before any significant military actions, which it also did when the U.S. engaged in an operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro weeks earlier.

The speaker has not yet made any comments on the Iran operation but is likely to do so sometime Saturday morning.

The only member of congressional leadership to have released a statement so far is House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who praised it as a “bold and decisive act of strength.”

Posted by Elizabeth Elkind

4 hours ago

Iran retaliates with missiles strikes at US facilities in multiple countries

Iran has started retaliating after the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury early Saturday morning.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin reported that approximately 40 missiles had landed in Israel. Meanwhile, the U.S. military in Iraq intercepted at least one missile targeting U.S. facilities. Additionally, Iran appeared to hit the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, but no casualties were reported and it appeared as though the regime struck an empty warehouse.

Iran also launched missiles at Saudi Arabia and Jordan, where the U.S. has squadrons of advanced fighter jets, Griffin reported. This led to condemnations from Jordan, the U.A.E. and others.

Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi said on X that he was "dismayed" by the attacks after her recently mediated indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran.

"I am dismayed. Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined. Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war," the foreign minister said.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

4 hours ago

Oman's Foreign Ministry expresses 'profound regret' as US, Israel hit Iran

Oman's Foreign Ministry expresses 'profound regret' as US, Israel hit Iran

Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

The Omani Foreign Ministry condemned Operation Epic Fury, which the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran on Saturday.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Sultanate of Oman's profound regret over the military operations launched by Israel and the United States of America against the Islamic Republic of Iran, warning of the danger of the conflict expanding into consequences that cannot be rectified in the region," the Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to X's translation.

"The Sultanate of Oman considers this action to be in contravention of the rules of international law and the principle of resolving issues through peaceful means rather than hostile means, the shedding of blood, and calls on all parties to immediately suspend military operations, while urging the United Nations Security Council to convene an urgent meeting to impose a ceasefire and for the international community to take a clear stance in support of international law," it added.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

5 hours ago

Israel releases video of airstrikes in Iran

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday published a video of its airstrike on missile launchers in western Iran as Israel and the U.S. take part in a joint effort against Tehran.

"Within the ‘Roaring Lion’ operation, the IDF struck with the direction of IDF intelligence, hundreds of Iranian military targets, including missile launchers in western Iran," the IDF's statement read.

"Alongside the IAF’s strikes in Iran, the Aerial Defense Array is currently identifying and intercepting threats fired from Iran toward the State of Israel," the IDF added.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

5 hours ago

Iran speaks out as US, Israel carry out Operation Epic Fury

Iran speaks out as US, Israel carry out Operation Epic Fury

Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

Iran's Foreign Ministry blasted the U.S. and Israel, which began carrying out Operation Epic Fury on Saturday.

"Our sacred and beloved homeland, proud and civilization-making Iran, has once again been subjected to criminal military aggression by the #UnitedStates and the #ZionistRegime," Iran's Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on X.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry called the attacks by the U.S. and Israel "a gross violation of Iran’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty."

Iran also called on the United Nations and the Security Council, where the U.S. has veto power, to act as the attacks unfold. Tehran claimed that the attacks by the U.S. and Israel, which it calls "the Zionist regime" were carried out in violation of the U.N. Charter.

"All member states of the United Nations, especially regional and Islamic countries, members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and all states that feel responsible for international peace and security, are expected to firmly condemn this act of aggression and take urgent and collective action to confront it, which has undoubtedly exposed the peace and security of the region and the world to an unprecedented threat," Iran's Foreign Ministry said.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

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5 hours ago

Emmer makes first statement from congressional leadership on Iran strikes

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., is praising President Donald Trump after the U.S. and Israel began joint strikes on Iran overnight.

“This is a bold, decisive act of strength by President Trump. The Ayatollah is responsible for killing hundreds of U.S. service members and slaughtering its own people,” Emmer told Fox News Digital.

“We pray that because of this leadership, the U.S. and the world will be a safer place. May God bless and protect the men and women of our military conducting this mission and serving in the region.”

It’s the first significant statement on the operation from a member of congressional leadership.

Emmer has been one of Trump’s most vocal allies on Capitol Hill so far this term.

Posted by Elizabeth Elkind

5 hours ago

Qatar reserves 'full right' to defend itself against 'Iranian aggression,' calls for dialogue

Qatar reserves 'full right' to defend itself against 'Iranian aggression,' calls for dialogue

A plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on Feb. 28, 2026. (ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said it reserves its “full right” to defend itself after what it described as Iranian aggression targeting Qatari territory.

Qatar’s Defense Ministry said it had “successfully thwarted a number of attacks targeting the country’s territory” after multiple rounds of alerts sounded. Authorities reported no immediate injuries or damage in residential areas.

In a statement, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the state will respond in accordance with international law and in a manner proportionate to the nature of the attack, in defense of its sovereignty and national security.

The ministry said targeting Qatari territory contradicts the “principles of good neighborliness” and “cannot be accepted under any pretext or justification.”

Qatar also condemned what it described as violations of the sovereignty of Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Bahrain, expressing full solidarity with those nations.

Despite the escalation, the ministry reiterated its call for dialogue with Iran and urged an immediate halt to hostilities and a return to negotiations.

Blasts were reported across several Gulf states hosting U.S. military assets, including Qatar, according to Al Jazeera, after the United States and Israel launched military strikes across Iranian territory.

The outlet cited Iran’s Fars News Agency as confirming attacks targeting military bases in the region, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which serves as the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command.

Posted by Michael Dorgan

5 hours ago

Ukraine declares its support for the Iranian people, ties the regime to Russia in scathing statement

Ukraine ripped the Iranian regime and its ties to Russia in a statement on Saturday, as it also declared its support for the people of Iran.

"The Iranian regime, which has been mocking the Iranian people for decades, has launched a large-scale policy of violence against its own people and other countries. This includes massive human rights violations within the country, support for militants who have brought chaos to other countries in the region, and direct military support for the aggressor state of Russia in its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We remember and will never forget the strikes of thousands of 'Shaheeds' on our peaceful cities and people," Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.

"Such cooperation between the regimes in Moscow and Tehran constitutes a gross violation of international law and undermines global efforts to restore peace and stability."

The Ukrainian MFA also condemned Iran's human rights abuses as well as the oppression of its own people.

"The reason for the current events is precisely the violence and arbitrariness of the Iranian regime, in particular the murders and repressions against peaceful protesters, which have become particularly large-scale in recent months," the statement read.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

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5 hours ago

NYPD 'closely monitoring' the situation in Iran and the Middle East

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said it is "closely monitoring" the situation unfolding in Iran as the U.S. and Israel participate in joint attacks. The department also said that it was coordinating with its federal and international partners.

"As is our protocol and out of an abundance of caution, we will be enhancing patrols to sensitive locations throughout the city, including diplomatic, cultural, religious, and other relevant sites," the NYPD's statement read.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

6 hours ago

Iranian group releases plan to turn country into a democratic republic amid US, Israel strikes

The provisional government of National Council of Resistance of Iran's (NCRI), an Iranian dissidents group, said on Saturday that it was looking to transform the country from a dictatorship into a democratic republic based on its president-elect's plan.

The 10-point plan was released by NCRI's president-elect Maryam Rajavi in June 2020 and it outlines the steps needed in order to bring freedom to Iran.

The first step of the plan calls for the rejection of clerical rule in favor of a republic built on "universal suffrage and pluralism." The second step calls for freedom of speech, political parties, assembly, the press and the internet, as well as the disbanding of several entities, namely the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Quds Force, plainclothes groups, the Basij, the Ministry of Intelligence, the Council of the Cultural Revolution and all suppressive patrols and institutions in cities, villages, schools, universities, offices and factories.

The third step involves a commitment to individual and social freedom, which Rajavi says will be in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Humans Rights. This would involve the disbanding of agencies that oversee "censorship and inquisition" as well as "seeking justice for massacred political prisoners," as well as the prohibition of torture and the end of the death penalty. The fourth step then calls for a separation of church and state, as well as freedom of religion.

In the fifth step, Rajavi seeks to establish gender equality in several parts of society and to allow for the "equal participation of women in political leadership." This step would also abolish discrimination, end the country's modesty laws, allow for freedom to marry and divorce and to obtain education and employment. It also would prohibit the exploitation of women.

The sixth step would establish an independent jury and legal system in accordance with international standards that is based on the presumption of innocence, as well as the right to an attorney, right of appeal and the right to be tried in a public court. With this step, Rajavi plans to also abolish Sharia law and shut down Islamic Revolutionary Courts.

The seventh step would see the end of Iran's "double injustices against Iranian nationalities and ethnicities," which would follow NCRI's plan for the autonomy of Iranian Kurdistan.

The eighth step calls for justice and equal opportunities in employment and entrepreneurship for all Iranians in a free market economy, restoring rights for blue-collar workers, farmers, nurses, white-collar workers, teachers and retirees.

In the ninth step, the group seeks to protect and restore the environment, which it says was "massacred under the rule of the mullahs."

The tenth and final step calls for "non-nuclear Iran that is also devoid of weapons of mass destruction" as well as peace and regional and international cooperation.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

6 hours ago

Iran vows ‘decisive’ retaliation after US, Israel launch strikes

Iran vows ‘decisive’ retaliation after US, Israel launch strikes

Smoke rises over Tehran after Israeli forces launched a second wave of airstrikes on Iran, Feb. 28, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Iran’s Foreign Ministry vowed a “decisive and definitive” response Saturday after the United States and Israel launched military strikes across Iranian territory.

The ministry called the attacks a violation of the U.N. Charter and warned that its armed forces “will not hesitate” to defend the country, vowing to make "the aggressors regret their criminal act."

“The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will decisively respond to the aggressors with authority,” the ministry said.

“History bears witness that Iranians have never bowed their heads in submission to foreign aggression and domination; this time too, the response of the Iranian nation will be decisive and definitive,” it added.

The ministry said the strikes hit targets in several cities and amounted to “overt armed aggression.”

It said responding to the attacks is Iran’s “legal and legitimate right” under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter and that its armed forces will use all their capabilities and resources to counter what it described as "criminal aggression."

Posted by Michael Dorgan

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6 hours ago

Strikes on Iran will last days, not hours, US official says

Strikes on Iran will last days, not hours, US official says

AP Photo

A U.S. official has told Fox News that the strikes on Iran are expected to last for days, rather than a few hours.

Additionally, the official and a source confirmed to Fox News that there were no casualties resulting from Iran hit's on a U.S. Navy base in Bahrain. The source said the strike hit an empty warehouse.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

7 hours ago

Saudi Arabia condemns Iran's strikes on Trump-aligned Arab states

Saudi Arabia on Saturday issued a statement condemning Iran’s attacks on several Arab nations, including ones that have aligned themselves with President Donald Trump. The statement comes as the U.S. and Israel engage in joint attacks on Iran.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the treacherous Iranian aggression and the blatant violation of the sovereignty of each of the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, affirming its full solidarity and standing by the side of the sister states, and placing all its capabilities at their disposal to support them in all measures they take, and warning of the grave consequences of the continued violation of the sovereignty of states and the principles of international law,” the statement read, according to X's translation.

Posted by Rachel Wolf

7 hours ago

IDF plans to call up roughly 70,000 reservists following US-Israel joint attack on Iran: source

IDF plans to call up roughly 70,000 reservists following US-Israel joint attack on Iran: source

An IDF tactical flag patch seen on a soldier. (Nataly Hanin/Getty)

A source who took part in a recent Israeli military meeting told Fox News there are plans to call up roughly 70,000 reservists over the next few days, following a joint US-Israel attack on Iran.

As incoming fire is expected from Iran, the reservists will be tasked with manning the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)'s air defense systems, according to the source.

Dozens of strikes were reportedly carried out against Iran Saturday morning, with the source noting the military is operating at the "highest level with American counterparts."

Many Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and officials were targeted in strikes, according to initial reports.

Fox News' chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst contributed to this report.

Posted by Alexandra Koch

7 hours ago

Former shah of Iran calls joint US-Israel attack 'humanitarian intervention' from POTUS

Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince of Iran, described the joint US-Israel attack on the country as promised "aid," and an act of "humanitarian intervention" by President Donald Trump.

Following the reported nationwide strikes, Pahlavi called on Iranian citizens to abandon support for the regime, and the U.S. to "exercise the utmost caution" to preserve civilian lives.

"Moments of destiny lie ahead of us," Pahlavi wrote in a statement on social media. "... Even with the arrival of this aid, the final victory will still be forged by our hands. It is we, the people of Iran, who will finish the job in this final battle. The time to return to the streets is near."

"Now that the Islamic Republic is collapsing, my message to the country's military, police, and security forces is clear: You have sworn an oath to protect Iran and the Iranian people — not the Islamic Republic and its leaders," he continued. "Your duty is to defend the people, not a regime that has taken our homeland hostage through repression and crime. Join the people and help bring about a stable and secure transition. Otherwise, you will go down with Khamenei's sinking ship and his regime."

Pahlavi warned citizens to remain in their homes and stay vigilant, so that when he announces an "appropriate time," Iranians can "return to the streets for the final action."

"We are very close to final victory," he wrote. "I want to be by your side as soon as possible so that together we can take back and rebuild Iran."

Posted by Alexandra Koch

Breaking News7 hours ago

Iran's supreme leader, president targeted in attack: senior Israeli official

Iran's supreme leader, president targeted in attack: senior Israeli official

Map of explosions reported on Tehran street housing key military and presidential offices. (Fox News)

A senior Israeli official confirmed to Fox News Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were targeted in Saturday's joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran.

The official noted military forces also focused on taking out "those responsible for commanding the mass murder of Iranian protesters."

"Battle damage assessments will come out later," the official said.

Posted by Alexandra Koch

8 hours ago

Israel targeting Iran’s leadership, US focusing on sites that pose 'imminent threat': US official

Israel targeting Iran’s leadership, US focusing on sites that pose 'imminent threat': US official

Smoke rises over the city center after an explosion in Tehran, Iran on February 28, 2026. (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A U.S. official told Fox News that Israel is targeting Iranian leadership in its brazen morning attack against the regime, but the U.S. is setting its sights on military targets and ballistic missile sites that pose an “imminent threat.”

The U.S. military is not targeting Iran’s leadership, the official said.

Posted by Alexandra Koch

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8 hours ago

Israeli Air Force conducting broad strike on military targets belonging to Iranian regime

Israeli Air Force conducting broad strike on military targets belonging to Iranian regime

Israeli air defense systems intercepted and destroyed several missiles over the skies of Jerusalem, after the Israeli army announced that it had detected a retaliatory missile attack from Iran on February 28, 2026. (Gazi Samad/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the Israeli Air Force is conducting a broad strike on a number of military targets belonging to the Iranian regime in western Iran.

Israel's "Operation Lion's Roar" aims to fundamentally strike the Iranian terror regime and remove existential threats to the State of Israel for the long term, according to a statement from the IDF.

The strike included attacks on dozens of military targets and was carried out as part of a broad, coordinated and joint offensive against the regime.

"The Iranian regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel," the IDF said. "In recent months, despite the heavy blow it suffered during Operation 'rising lion,' the IDF identified that the regime continued its efforts to fortify, protect, and conceal its nuclear programs, alongside rehabilitating its missile production process."

Israeli officials also accused the regime of continuing to fund, train and arm its proxies stationed along Israel's borders.

"These actions constitute an existential threat to the State of Israel and threaten the Middle East and the entire world," the IDF said.

Joint planning between the IDF and the U.S. Military spanned months prior to Saturday's ambush.

The Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. (Rav-Aluf) Eyal Zamir, and IDF commanders are conducting a situational assessment.

Numerous IDF forces are deployed in forward defense and are prepared for offense across all sectors against any enemy, according to the IDF.

"The IDF will continue to act to cut off any emerging threat against the citizens of the State of Israel, anywhere and at any time," Israeli officials said. "Even at this moment, the Air Force continues to strike across Iran based on precise intelligence. The operation will continue for as long as necessary."

Fox News' Yonat Friling contributed to this report.

Posted by Alexandra Koch

8 hours ago

Iranian foreign minister says response would target 'all' US military bases in the region

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran's response to the joint U.S.-Israel attack on the country would be to target "all" U.S. military bases in the region.

U.S. military infrastructure within Iran's missile range include: Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command; Naval Support Activity Bahrain, home to the U.S. 5th Fleet; Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, a major Army logistics and command hub; Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, used by U.S. Air Force units; Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia; Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates; and Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, which hosts U.S. aircraft.

The foreign minister's threats came as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an urgent warning to all people staying inside or near military industrial factories and military infrastructure across Iran.

"You are in proximity to weapons and facilities that are dangerous," the IDF wrote in a statement.

"For the sake of your safety and health, we kindly request that you immediately evacuate these areas and remain outside them until a new announcement is issued," they continued. "Your presence in these locations puts your life at risk."

Posted by Alexandra Koch

8 hours ago

US embassies issue slew of shelter-in-place warnings amid Iran attack

US embassies issue slew of shelter-in-place warnings amid Iran attack

A map of explosions heard across Iran Saturday morning. (Fox News)

American embassies in Qatar, Manama, Jordan and Abu Dhabi, along with the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, have issued shelter-in-place orders for all personnel following the U.S.-Israel joint attack on Iran Saturday morning.

Officials recommended all Americans also shelter-in-place "until further notice."

Qatar, which has previously been attacked by Iran, is home to Al Udeid Air Base, forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command.

Thousands of American service members are stationed at the base.

Posted by Alexandra Koch

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9 hours ago

Initial strike in Iran attack targeted area near Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's offices

Initial strike in Iran attack targeted area near Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's offices

Smoke was seen rising in Tehran after the joint Israel-U.S. attack Saturday morning. (AP)

While military strikes have been reported nationwide, the initial joint attack was reportedly focused in an area near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Associated Press reported the first apparent strike hit near Khamenei's compound and main offices in downtown Tehran.

It is unclear if the Iranian leader was in the area at the time of the attack.

Posted by Alexandra Koch

9 hours ago

Department of War dubs attack on Iran 'Operation Epic Fury'

The Department of War announced the Saturday morning U.S. military attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran has been dubbed "Operation Epic Fury."

The announcement came minutes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who coordinated the blitz with the U.S., announced the Jewish State's mission was called “Operation Roaring Lion."

Posted by Alexandra Koch

9 hours ago

Iran begins response to Israel-US attack, IDF responding to missiles

Iran has started launching missiles toward Israel in response to a joint attack from the Jewish State and the United States on Saturday morning.

The Israel Defense Forces said the Israeli Air Force was responding to the missiles launched from Iran.

“At this time, the IAF is operating to intercept and strike threats where necessary to remove the threat,” the IDF said, adding that sirens were sounding in several areas across the country.

Iran’s response “appears to be limited” at the moment, according to Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst.

Posted by Michael Sinkewicz

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10 hours ago

Netanyahu names attack on Iran 'Operation Roaring Lion'

Netanyahu names attack on Iran 'Operation Roaring Lion'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named the military operation against Iran “Operation Roaring Lion."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has named the military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran “Operation Roaring Lion,” his office said.

The U.S. and Israel launched a joint attack against Iran just after 9 a.m. local time.

Posted by Michael Sinkewicz

10 hours ago

Trump confirms US involvement in Iran attack, says 'not going to put up' with regime's 'mass terror'

President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that the U.S. is carrying out "major combat operations in Iran."

In video remarks posted to Truth Social, Trump said the objective is to defend Americans by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, describing it as "a vicious group of very hard, terrible people."

"It's been mass terror and we are not going to put up with it any longer," Trump said.

He added that "it has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. I'll say it again, they can never have a nuclear weapon."

Posted by Michael Sinkewicz

10 hours ago

Israel-US attack on Iran had 'element of surprise'

A joint attack on Iran by Israel and the United States on Saturday morning had an "element of surprise," according to Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin.

The attack was carried out just after 9 a.m. local time in daylight.

Griffin said she believes U.S. and Israeli officials wanted Iran to see the strikes and what was being targeted.

She said she expects more military activity over the next few hours.

Posted by Michael Sinkewicz

11 hours ago

US participating in Israel's attack on Iran: US official

US participating in Israel's attack on Iran: US official

Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo)

The United States is participating in preemptive strikes Israel launched against Iran on Saturday, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz declared a special and immediate state of emergency across the entire country.

He said the strike was "to remove threats" against the state of Israel.

ATTACHMENT “D” – FROM TASS

US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Lavrov, Qatari foreign minister discuss situation around Iran

US-Israeli strikes on Iran

US and Israel use Iran's nuclear issue to exert pressure — Kosachev

US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Russia to demand US, Israel stop illegal actions against Iran at UN Security Council

28 February 2026 12:15 pm (EST OR RUSSIAN TIME?)

13:32 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran's supreme leader now at headquarters — TV

13:20 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iranian strikes on US bases not directed against friendly countries — diplomat

12:54 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Over 200 killed, more than 700 injured in strikes on Iran — Red Crescent

12:52 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran calls on UN to condemn US, Israeli strikes without reservation — top diplomat

12:45 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Missiles launched from Iran may carry warheads with fragmenting elements — IDF

12:43 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran retaliates by launching nearly 1,200 missiles — general

12:35 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Trump’s allegations on Iranian possible threat to US are 'absurd lies' — diplomat

12:34 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

About 200 Israeli Air Force fighter jets attack Iran in largest operation in history

12:31 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran maintains close contact with Russia, China after US-Israeli assault, says Araghchi

12:26 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

IRGC closes Strait of Hormuz to vessel traffic after attack on Iran

12:21 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Lavrov, Qatari foreign minister discuss situation around Iran

12:15 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran considers US, Israeli strikes 'declaration of war' — diplomat

11:54 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

US and Israel use Iran's nuclear issue to exert pressure — Kosachev

11:50 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran’s Bushehr comes under missile attack

11:41 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Four injured in fire in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah district

11:33 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Middle East conflict expanding, driving up energy prices — Szijjarto

11:30 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

IAEA reports no changes in Iran's radiological situation

11:18 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

IRGC allegedly notifies ships of closing Strait of Hormuz — media

11:16 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Missile falls near five-star Fairmont The Palm hotel in Dubai

11:13 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Death toll in Iranian school strike nears 160 — Foreign Ministry

11:10 Iran's nuclear program

Iran will not renounce right to uranium enrichment — Foreign Minister

11:07

Russia’s Medvedev wins 2026 Dubai Tennis Championships as his opponent decides to retire

11:06 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

White House faces risk of air defense shortage at US bases in Middle East — news agency

11:04 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Death toll from strike on school in southern Iran climbs to 85

11:01 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

US administration starts war with Iran without plan to end it — lawmaker

10:47 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Pezeshkian calls US-Israeli strike on school in Iran barbaric — press service

10:45 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran launches hypersonic missiles in response to US, Israeli strikes — news agency

10:43 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Araghchi tells Lavrov about consequences of strike on Iranian school

10:39 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy

Cross-country skiers to represent Russia at 2026 Winter Paralympics Opening Ceremony

10:37 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran capable of defending itself — foreign minister

10:35

New wave of explosions rocks Doha, air defenses working — eyewitnesses

10:25 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

British Air Force repels Iran's strikes on allied targets in Middle East — Starmer

10:18 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iranian air defenses down three Israeli military Hermes drones — news agency

10:12 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Russia to demand US, Israel stop illegal actions against Iran at UN Security Council

10:09 Military operation in Ukraine

Russian air defenses intercept 315 Ukrainian UAVs, Flamingo cruise missile over past day

10:00 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

UN secretary-general calls for immediate cessation of hostilities in Middle East

09:57 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

US, Israel violate international law with their strikes on Iran — Russian mission to UN

09:56 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Araghchi tells Lavrov about plans to convene UN Security Council urgently

09:51 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

UN secretary-general condemns military escalation in Middle East

09:47 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran's supreme leader, president alive amid US, Israeli strikes — top diplomat

09:40 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Tanker insurance in Persian Gulf to rise after strikes on Iran — FT

09:37 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

US faces unprecedented scale of simultaneous attacks on overseas bases — WSJ

09:33 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Death toll at elementary school for girls in Iran increases to 63

09:22 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Strikes on Iran aim to create conditions for forceful change of power — journalist

09:19

OPEC+ may discuss oil output increase at Sunday meeting

09:10

Ukraine is committing a crime by blocking Druzhba amid strikes on Iran — Orban

09:07 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran holds consultations to prevent collapse of regional security

09:02 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Iran warns of spread of war to Middle East countries with US bases

08:58 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Aragchi tells Lavrov US, Israel must be held accountable for aggression

08:49 US-Israeli strikes on Iran

Israeli army reports new missile attack from Iran

All news

US-Israeli strikes on Iran

28 Feb, 12:15

Iran considers US, Israeli strikes 'declaration of war' — diplomat

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei emphasized that Tehran did not start this conflict

DOHA, February 28. /TASS/. Iran considers the joint US and Israeli strikes on its territory a declaration of war, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said.

"The aggression of the US and Israel against us is a declaration of war, not a limited action," he told Qatar's Al Jazeera TV channel. The diplomat added that Tehran did not start this conflict, but that "the enemy imposed it" on Iran.

US-Israeli strikes on Iran

13 minutes ago

Iranian strikes on US bases not directed against friendly countries — diplomat

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale retaliatory operation, after the US and Israel launched a military operation against Iran

Learn more

Yesterday, 21:54

Idea to transfer Ukraine talks to Abu Dhabi originates from Russia, backed by US — source

According to the source, the decision was motivated by a "lack of neutrality" of Geneva

2 hours ago

Iran capable of defending itself — foreign minister

The US and Israel launched a military operation against Iran, where major cities, including Tehran, were hit

3 hours ago

UN secretary-general condemns military escalation in Middle East

Antonio Guterres stressed that the use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran undermines international peace and security

Yesterday, 12:49

Ukraine’s largest steel mill to close foundry production

The exorbitant price of electricity in Ukraine is the cause of halting production, the company added

Yesterday, 06:14

English-speaking mercenaries show declining desire to fight for Ukraine — commander

Lieutenant General Apty Alaudinov noted that most of the mercenaries, fighting on Ukraine's side, were Spanish-speakers at present

Learn more

Yesterday, 05:30

Afghanistan strikes 'nuclear facility' in Pakistan — TV

According to Ariana News, "hundreds of dead and injured" have been taken to a hospital in Islamabad

Yesterday, 08:05

Kremlin takes note that expropriation of Russia's assets is no longer on EU agenda

Dmitry Peskov said there are also a number of other countries that are aware of the inevitable negative consequences of such a decision to expropriate Russia's assets

3 hours ago

British Air Force repels Iran's strikes on allied targets in Middle East — Starmer

The UK prime minister said that London has a range of defensive capabilities in the region

2 hours ago

Middle East conflict expanding, driving up energy prices — Szijjarto

According to the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, under such conditions, Ukraine’s blocking of key transport routes is a crime twice over

Yesterday, 10:50

Russian watchdog blacklists US legal entity Anti-Corruption Foundation as terrorist

Additionally, Lithuanian citizen Andrejus Trofimovas, who is currently on the international wanted list, has been incorporated into the registry

Play

39 minutes ago

Over 200 killed, more than 700 injured in strikes on Iran — Red Crescent

Casualties and injuries have been recorded in 24 provinces

2 hours ago

White House faces risk of air defense shortage at US bases in Middle East — news agency

The source reported that President Donald Trump was informed of the high risks and potential benefits of the operation for the US

MARCH 1^ST

ATTACHMENT “E” – FROM GUK

US-ISRAEL WAR ON IRAN LIVE: TRUMP SAYS ATTACK ‘WILL CONTINUE UNTIL ALL OF OUR OBJECTIVES ARE ACHIEVED’

US president says ‘an Iranian regime armed with long range missiles would be a dire threat to every American’ in video released on Truth Social Sunday evening

·

17m ago

Trump says attack ‘will continue until all of our objectives are achieved’

·

1h ago

UK agrees to US request to use British military bases for strikes

·

1h ago

Trump says the attack on Iran could last for four weeks

·

3h ago

Just 27% of Americans approve of Iran strikes, poll finds

·

3h ago

Trump spoke with leaders of Israel, Bahrain and UAE, White House says

·

3h ago

UK says British fighter jet shot down Iranian drone aimed at Qatar

·

5h ago

Trump: US destroyed Iran's naval headquarters and nine ships

·

6h ago

Trump: 'They want to talk, and I have agreed'

·

6h ago

Trump says 48 leaders killed in strikes on Iran and operation is 'moving along rapidly'

·

6h ago

Death toll from suspected US-Israeli bombing of Iranian school reportedly rises to almost 150

·

7h ago

Iran's former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly killed in strikes

·

7h ago

US claims it has sunk an Iranian ship

·

7h ago

Three US service members killed 'in action' as part of Iran operation - Centcom

·

7h ago

Selection of a supreme leader could happen 'in a day or two', Iranian foreign minister says

·

8h ago

Deadly Iranian missile attack reported in Israel's Beit Shemesh

·

8h ago

Three dead, 58 injured in UAE since start of Iran strikes: defence ministry

·

9h ago

What we know so far...

·

10h ago

Analysis: 'Trump’s unprovoked attack on Iran has no mandate – or legal basis'

·

10h ago

Why is the strait of Hormuz so important and will Iran shut it in retaliation to US-Israeli attacks?

·

10h ago

Khamenei's killing marks a 'defining moment in Iran's history', EU foreign policy chief says

·

11h ago

All members of Iran's temporary leadership council appointed - reports

·

11h ago

Revenge is 'legitimate right', Iranian president says after killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

·

11h ago

Emirates suspends 'all operations to and from Dubai' as travel chaos deepens

·

12h ago

Putin says the 'murder' of Khamenei was a 'cynical violation of all norms of human morality'

·

12h ago

Iranian strikes landed within 'a few hundred yards' of British troops in Bahrain, UK defence secretary says

·

12h ago

Gulf states report successfully intercepting Iranian missiles and drones

·

13h ago

IDF says 'broad wave of strikes' launched 'in the heart of Tehran'

·

14h ago

'Non stop sirens and alerts' in Jerusalem as Iran retaliates for Israeli-US attacks

·

14h ago

Eight people killed at a pro-Iran rally at US consulate in Pakistan

·

14h ago

Summary

·

16h ago

Iran's top security adviser warns 'secessionist groups' against action

·

17h ago

Iran announces new wave of missile and drone strikes

·

18h ago

Several loud bangs heard over Dubai - reports

·

18h ago

Sirens across central Israel and occupied West Bank

·

18h ago

Loud explosions heard near Erbil airport

·

18h ago

Iran confirms deaths of Guards chief and senior security official

·

19h ago

Iran Guards vow 'most ferocious offensive operation in history' against US bases, Israel

·

19h ago

Opening summary

Marina Dunbar (now); Serena Richards, Yohannes Lowe, Hayden Vernon and Rebecca Ratcliffe (earlier)

Sun 1 Mar 2026 17.14 EST

From 17m ago

16.57 EST

Trump says attack ‘will continue until all of our objectives are achieved’

Donald Trump warned on Sunday that combat operations in Iran were continuing and would carry on until all of Washington’s objectives are achieved.

“Combat operations continue at this time in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved. We have very strong objectives,” Trump said in a recorded video statement posted first on Truth Social. He confirmed that three US service members had been killed and said there would likely be more casualties, vowing to avenge the deaths of Americans.

A video statement from Donald Trump on the military operation in Iran, recorded on Sunday before the president left his Florida beach club to return to the White House.

“As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives,” he said. “And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends.”

He continued to justify the operation, saying “an Iranian regime armed with long range missiles and nuclear weapons would be a dire threat to every American… I once again urge the Revolutionary Guard, the Iranian military police, to lay down your arms and receive full immunity or face certain death.”

This is the second video statement he has posted exclusively on Truth Social, his social media platform which recently declared a big loss. The platform is part of Trump Media and Technology Group, a company whose price has reached near all-time lows this month.

Updated at 17.14 EST

36m ago16.39 EST

France and Lebanon are postponing a March 5 conference on the Lebanese army to April, the Elysee palace said in a statement on Sunday, following the launch of US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

France, Lebanon’s former colonial power, plans to mobilize international backing for the Lebanese armed forces and internal security forces at the conference.

The statement stressed that the gravity of the regional situation underscored the need to safeguard Lebanon’s stability, support its legitimate institutions and ensure the full restoration of its sovereignty.

1h ago16.15 EST

UK agrees to US request to use British military bases for strikes

By Rowena Mason

Keir Starmer has agreed to allow the US to use UK military bases to
launch attacks that degrade Iran’s missiles.

In a recorded statement, the prime minister said the “only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles”.

“The US has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose,” he said.

“We have taken the decision to accept this request – to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region … killing innocent civilians … putting British lives at risk … and hitting countries that have not been involved.”

In addition, British jets are in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations, which he said had “already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes”.

He said it remains the case that the UK was not involved in the strikes on Iran. “Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate,” the prime minister said. “Not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and the world is a negotiated settlement.”

But he said Iran’s approach was becoming more reckless and dangerous to civilians, leading to the decision to allow the US to use UK military bases. He also revealed that there are at least 200,000 British citizens in the region – and urged them to register their presence and follow Foreign Office travel advice.

1h ago15.52 EST

The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have said they are ready to take steps to defend their interests in the region after the “indiscriminate and disproportionate” missile attacks by Iran.

In a joint statement on Iran, the E3 leaders said:

“E3 leaders are appalled by the indiscriminate and disproportionate missile attacks launched by Iran against countries in the region, including those who were not involved in initial US and Israeli military operations. Iran’s reckless attacks have targeted our close allies and are threatening our service personnel and our civilians across the region.

“We call on Iran to stop these reckless attacks immediately. We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source.

They continued: “We have agreed to work together with the US and allies in the region on this matter. We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source. We have agreed to work together with the US and allies in the region on this matter.”

1h ago15.49 EST

Air raid sirens and explosions have been heard over Jerusalem just after the Israeli army said it detected missiles launched towards Israel from Iran.

In a statement the army said: “A short while ago the [Israeli military] identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.” People have been urged to stay inside.

1h ago15.49 EST

Trump says the attack on Iran could last for four weeks

US President Donald Trump has said the strikes on Iran could last for a month.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process so - as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks - or less.”

Commenting on the first deaths of US service personnel in the fighting, the president said: “They’re great people. And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous - it could happen again.”

2h ago15.32 EST

The US military has carried out strikes against over 1,000 Iranian targets so far since starting its campaign on Saturday, US Central Command said on Sunday.

In a fact sheet, Central Command listed these items under “Types of Targets”:

· Command and Control Centers

· IRGC Joint Headquarters

· IRGC Aerospace Forces Headquarters

· Integrated Air Defense Systems

· Ballistic Missile Sites

· Iranian Navy Ships

· Iranian Navy Submarines

· Anti-ship Missile Sites

· Military Communication Capabilities

2h ago15.15 EST

In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Democrat representative Ro Khanna said that Americans “are not safer today” following the strikes on Iran.

Khanna said: “They were picking the new leader before we killed the Ayatollah. The Ayatollah was 86. The question is, is the country going to descend into civil war, are billions of our dollars going to be spent there, and are American troops going to be at risk?”

He is seeking to hold a vote under the War Powers Resolution, which would require the White House to seek authorization from Congress for more military action in Iran. He said a vote would be “close” and that “it depends if we can keep several Democrats in line.”

2h ago15.02 EST

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said strikes on Tehran “will only increase” in the coming days. He said he has “given instructions for the continuation of the campaign” against Iran during a meeting with his defense minister, chief of staff, and the head of the Mossad security service.

In a video statement shot on the roof of the Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu added that Israeli “forces are now striking the heart of Tehran with increasing strength, and this will only increase even more in the coming days.”

2h ago14.48 EST

William Christou

At least 22 people are dead following pro-Iran demonstrations in Pakistan in which hundreds of people marched on the US consulate in Karachi. Security forces in Iraq have also fired teargas at protesters who tried to storm the US embassy in Baghdad.

As anger boiled over after US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a crowd of demonstrators in Karachi chanted against the offensive before entering the reception hall of the consulate building and lighting a small fire.

A video posted on social media showed a man yelling: “The death of the leader has been avenged.”

Ten people were reported dead after security forces opened fire, with more than 30 others injured, according to a local medical official.

Violence arising from protests elsewhere in Pakistan left 10 people dead in Gilgit-Baltistan and two dead in the capital, Islamabad.

At least 22 people dead after pro-Iran protests in Pakistan and Iraq

3h ago 14.35 EST

Just 27% of Americans approve of Iran strikes, poll finds

Only one in four Americans approves of the US strikes that killed Iran’s leader on Saturday, while about half — including one in four Republicans — believe Trump is too willing to use military force, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded on Sunday.

About 27% of respondents said they approved of the strikes, while 43% disapproved and 29% were not sure. About nine in 10 respondents said they had heard at least a little about the strikes, which began early on Saturday.

About 56% of Americans think Trump, who has also ordered strikes in Venezuela, Syria and Nigeria in recent months, is too willing to use military force to advance US interests. The vast majority of Democrats - 87% - held this view, as did 23% of Republicans and 60% of people who don’t identify with either political party.

The poll, which began on Saturday after the strikes got underway, gathered responses online from 1,282 US adults nationwide. It had a margin of error of three percentage points.

3h ago 14.26 EST

Trump spoke with leaders of Israel, Bahrain and UAE, White House says

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed in a statement on social media that Trump “has spoken with the leaders of Israel, Bahrain, and the UAE” today.

3h ago 14.14 EST

Republican senator Tom Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he expects the massive airstrike campaign against Iran will continue for “probably a few weeks.”

He told CBS’ Face the Nation that Trump “has no plan for any kind of large-scale ground force in Iran.”

Cotton would not say how the US and Israeli knew the location of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “We have exquisite intelligence collection methods,” he said. “Israel and the United States once again proved that our nation has capabilities that no other nation on Earth has.”

3h ago 14.00 EST

UK says British fighter jet shot down Iranian drone aimed at Qatar

A UK fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone aimed at Qatar, according to the UK’s Ministry of Defence.

“Today, a Royal Air Force Typhoon operating from Qatar as part of the joint UK–Qatar Typhoon Squadron, successfully took out an Iranian drone heading towards Qatar,” the ministry’s official X account posted today.

“The Typhoon jet was conducting a defensive air patrol and used an air-to-air missile to shoot down the drone, ensuring the security of Qatar’s airspace and British interests in the region,” the statement said. “Our Armed Forces are playing a vital role to protect our people, our interests and our allies.”

The UK signed a defense agreement with Qatar last year, aimed at strengthening military cooperation and improving interoperability between their armed forces.

Larisa Brown, defense editor of London’s The Times, reported on X that this “is the first time the aircraft has carried out an operational interception in defence of Qatar.”

Updated at 16.42 EST

1 of 9NextOldest

ATTACHMENT “F” – FROM CNBC

UPDATED SUN, MAR 1 2026 5:13 PM EST

Live updates: Trump vows to ‘avenge’ the deaths of U.S. service members, says combat operations continue

By:

Garrett Downs

Greg Iacurci

Azhar Sukri

Spriha Srivastava

Emma Graham

Lee Ying Shan

Anniek Bao

Head here for the previous day’s updates.

What you need to know

· Three U.S. service members have been killed in Iran operation.

· Thousands of flights have been cancelled since the conflict in Iran began

· Congress aims to vote on war powers resolution in the coming week.

· Insurers are raising prices for tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which raises the price of oil. 

President Donald Trump said he will “avenge” the deaths of three U.S. service members and said the combat operations in Iran that began Saturday will continue. Trump spoke in a pre-recorded Truth Social post Sunday afternoon.

Trump earlier Sunday told CNBC’s Joe Kernen that U.S. military operations in Iran are “ahead of schedule.”

The president’s comments come as Iran’s retaliation is intensifying after U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering one of the most consequential moments for the Islamic Republic since 1979. The massive attack was launched on Iran overnight Saturday, after Iran refused American demands that it reduce its nuclear program.

Markets, policymakers and regional leaders are now watching closely to see how far the conflict spreads, and whether the power shift in Tehran alters Iran’s political trajectory or further entrenches its security-first stance.

CORRECTION: A blog headline has been updated to clarify that senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafihas was appointed to Iran’s interim Leadership Council.

U.S.-Iran news

· Follow CNBC’s live coverage of the U.S.-Israel strikes in Iran

· What travelers need to know after the U.S., Israeli strikes on Iran

· Iran after Khamenei: What’s next and what it means for the country?

· Iran may ‘lash out harder’ following Khamenei’s death

· How the attack on Iran could impact global oil market and economy

· What we know as markets brace for turmoil

1646 27 Min Ago

U.K. lets U.S. use bases to target Iranian missiles after ‘scorched earth’ strategy

The U.K. has granted permission for the U.S. to use its military bases in the Middle East in an effort to destroy Iranian missiles and missile launchers, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an address on Sunday posted to X.

Starmer framed his decision as one of self defense.

The move follows Iranian strikes across the region that have put British interests, citizens and allies in harm’s way, despite the U.K. not having been involved in the initial U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, the prime minister said.

“We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons,” Starmer said. “We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, and we will not join offensive action now.”

“But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy,” he added. “So we are supporting the collective self defense of our allies and our people in the region. Because that is our duty to the British people. It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiraling further.”

Against this backdrop, the U.K.’s decision to allow the U.S. to use its bases is consistent with international law, he said.

—Greg Iacurci

1640 33 Min Ago

Trump and his team largely absent from the public eye after Iran attacks

Trump and senior administration officials have been largely absent from the public eye since Saturday’s attacks on Iran. That’s a striking difference from the norm when an administration takes a major military action.

Since announcing the strikes in an edited video message on social media in the early hours of Saturday morning, Trump hasn’t emerged from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida or delivered a public address to provide Americans with further rationale for the military operation — a break from historical norms, according to the New York Times. He appeared again on video late Sunday afternoon in another social media video.

Top administration officials also were absent from the Sunday morning television talk shows to discuss the attacks. Top Cabinet secretaries often complete the rounds of the shows, racing from studio to studio or video appearance to video appearance.

Instead, the White House communications team chose to let allies on Capitol Hill deliver the messaging, CNN reported, citing three people familiar with the discussions.

Trump himself has commented about the attack on Iran frequently in remarks to major media outlets on Sunday, but not on camera in any sort of nationally televised address or interview. Trump earlier Sunday spoke to CNBC’s Joe Kernen in a telephone call about Iran, saying the U.S. military operations are “ahead of schedule.”

Trump administration officials are scheduled to brief House members on the Iran strikes on Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET. All members of the House were invited to this classified briefing.

—Greg Iacurci

1628 41 Min Ago

U.S. crude oil set to top $70 a barrel when trading begins

Crude oil prices are expected to jump when trading opens Sunday evening, as market participants fear war between the U.S. and Iran will spiral out of control and lead to a major supply disruption.

How the oil market ultimately reacts will depend on whether the war leads to a prolonged disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the most important chokepoint in the world for the global oil trade.

Rystad Energy forecasts global benchmark Brent crude oil futures could spike by $20 when trading opens. Barclays says Brent could potentially hit $100 per barrel. Futures open at 6 p.m. ET.

Other analysts see a more modest jump depending on how the conflict develops. Prices should rise by at least $3 to $5 per barrel when trading starts, said Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates.

Brent futures closed Friday at $73.21 a barrel, up 20% so far this year. U.S. crude closed at $67.02 per barrel on Friday, having run up 17% so far this year

—Spencer Kimball

1613 59 Min Ago

Trump says U.S. will ‘avenge’ deaths of service members, combat mission to continue

Trump said Sunday the U.S. will “avenge” the deaths of three U.S. service members who were killed amid ongoing hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, and vowed to continue his bombardment until “all of our objectives are achieved.”

“America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against basically civilization,” Trump said in a video statement to Truth Social. ″Combat operations continue at this time in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved.”

Trump’s remarks suggest a potentially longer U.S. engagement in Iran than other recent military operations. Earlier Sunday, U.S. Central Command said three U.S. service members had been killed — the first of the conflict that saw Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed on Saturday.

“As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives,” Trump said in the video, also warning that further casualties can be expected.

“We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen, and sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” Trump said.

—Garrett Downs

33 Min Ago

House, Senate will get Iran briefing on Tuesday

U.S. House and Senate lawmakers will be briefed on the Iran strikes on Tuesday afternoon after members return to town.

House lawmakers will receive their briefing at 5 p.m., according to a GOP staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine will update lawmakers on the situation in Iran.

The Senate will get their own briefing on Tuesday afternoon.

—Emily Wilkins

2 Hours Ago

EU warns against wider conflict in Middle East

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas speaks at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 15, 2026.

Liesa Johannssen | Reuters

The European Union on Sunday called for “maximum restraint” and the protection of civilians in Iran and the Middle East, according to a statement from the EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas.

“We call for maximum restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter, and international humanitarian law,” Kallas said, speaking for all 27 EU nations. “The Middle East stands to lose greatly from any drawn-out war.”

Kallas condemned Iran’s retaliatory attacks on regional countries after the U.S. and Israel began a bombardment on Saturday that killed the Gulf nation’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“Iran’s attacks and violation of sovereignty of a number of countries in the region are inexcusable,” Kallas said. “Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes.”

Kallas also warned that further escalation in the Middle East could create economic consequences.

“The events unfolding in Iran must not lead to an escalation that could threaten the Middle East, Europe and beyond, with unpredictable consequences, also in the economic sphere,” the statement said.

—Garrett Downs

3 Hours Ago

Iran’s World Cup hopes in jeopardy: AP

U.S. President Donald Trump gives a speech alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino after he is awarded the FIFA Peace Prize at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., U.S. Dec. 5, 2025.

Dan Mullan | Pool Via Reuters

The ongoing U.S.-Israeli bombardment of Iran is jeopardizing the country’s prospects to play in this year’s World Cup, according to the president of the country’s soccer federation.

According to the Associated Press, soccer chief Mehdi Taj told the sports publication Varzesh3 that the country’s participation is now in doubt. The U.S. is hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico.

“What is certain is that after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” he said.

Iran is scheduled to play in the U.S. during the tournament.

—Garrett Downs

3 Hours Ago

Trump spoke to leaders of Israel, Bahrain and UAE

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 18, 2026.

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

Trump spoke with the leaders of Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates amid ongoing military operations in Iran, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

In a post to X, Leavitt did not specify which leaders Trump spoke with. Israel has carried out strikes in Iran alongside the U.S. and Iran has retaliated against U.S. allies in the region.

Leavitt also said the president has been briefed on a shooting that happened early Sunday in Austin, Texas. The shooting left three dead and injured more than a dozen others. The gunman – identified as a naturalized citizen from Senegal who lived in the U.S. for 15 years — killed two people and wounded 14 others, sources told NBC News. The shooting is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, though the investigation is in very preliminary stages, sources told NBC News.

— Garrett Downs

4 Hours Ago

UAE closes stock exchanges on Monday and Tuesday

The Abu Dhabi stock exchange in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025.

Vidhyaa Chandramohan | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The United Arab Emirates Capital Market Authority said Sunday that the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and Dubai Financial Market (DFM) will be closed on Monday and Tuesday following the attacks in Iran.

“The Authority confirms that it will continue to closely monitor developments in the region and assess the situation on an ongoing basis, taking any further measures as necessary,” the regulator said in a press release.

Kuwait’s stock exchange had already implemented a trading suspension until further notice. Iranian missiles have hit Kuwait, as well as Amman, Doha and Riyadh, which remained open on Sunday.

—Greg Iacurci

4 Hours Ago

UAE economy minister assures stability of country as missiles rain over Dubai, Abu Dhabi

UAE Economy and Tourism Minister Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri discusses the ongoing situation with CNBC’s Dan Murphy as the tourism hub is hit with hundreds of rockets from Iran, damaging key civilian infrastructure across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

—Emma Graham

4 Hours Ago

Lawmakers grapple over war powers vote

Runners pass the U.S. Capitol a day after day the United States and Israel-led attacks on Iran, in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 1, 2026.

Annabelle Gordon | Reuters

With Congress set to begin voting on a war powers resolution to halt Trump’s assault on Iran this week, lawmakers on Sunday grappled over whether to buck the president after Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed.

“This is an illegal war,” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the lead sponsor of the Senate’s version of the war powers resolution, in an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.” “The Constitution says no declaration of war without Congress. The president has called this war against Iran.”

A war powers resolution allows Congress to disapprove of a president’s military action and force the pullback of troops. Should it pass, however, it would be mostly symbolic as Trump is almost certain to veto it.

The Constitution vests the power to declare war in Congress.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said he is “going to have to take a close look at” the war powers resolution, but said he would be inclined to oppose Trump’s war effort.

“I want to hear from the White House what their strategy is going forward,” Kelly said. “You know, they went into this without any discussion with us ahead of time.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is leading the war powers resolution in the House with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Some House Republicans have indicated they will support the measure in the House.

Khanna said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” he believes his resolution has the votes to pass in the House, but it is “going to be very close.”

“I believe this is a disastrous vote for any Democrat to vote for Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East,” Khanna said. “The point of this resolution is to say we do not want another war in the Middle East, or at least Congress should opine on that.”

Even with strong Democratic support for the resolution and opposition to Trump’s attack, however, not all Democrats are likely to come on board.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that he will “vote it down.”

“It’s not necessary, honestly,” Fetterman said. “It’s really an empty gesture.”

Republicans have largely supported Trump’s attack, despite some dissent.

—Garrett Downs

4 Hours Ago

Trump says attacks destroy 9 Iranian ships, ‘largely destroyed’ naval headquarters

Trump said Sunday on social media that the U.S. had destroyed and sunk nine of Iran’s naval ships and, in a separate attack, had “largely destroyed” the nation’s naval headquarters.

He also suggested the U.S. would continue to target Iran’s navy.

“We are going after the rest — They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea,” Trump wrote of Iran’s ships on Truth Social.

— Greg Iacurci

5 Hours Ago

CIA tracked Iranian leader for months, New York Times reports

The CIA tracked Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for months to gain awareness of his habits and the places he visited, according to a New York Times report. A person familiar with the U.S. operations told the paper that the agency learned that Iranian officials would be meeting Saturday morning in Tehran and that the supreme leader would attend.

The U.S. d the intelligence with Israel, people briefed on the matter told the Times, and went ahead with the operation that they had been planning.

—Christina Cheddar Berk

5 Hours Ago

Germany’s Merz calls for ‘day after’ plan in Iran

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives a statement to the media following the U.S.-Israeli killing of Iranian Ayatollah Khamenei on March 01, 2026 in Berlin, Germany.

Sean Gallup | Getty Images

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday that it was necessary for the U.S., Europe and other international partners to start looking ahead to the future of Iran and the Middle East, following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in coordinated strikes by the U.S. and Israel.

“We want to work with our partners in the U.S., Israel, the region, and Europe to develop an agenda for the day after,” Merz said, according to a report from Reuters.

Merz said he agreed with the U.S.′ goals in Iran, including putting an end to the Islamic Republic’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, but also cautioned of risks ahead, according to Reuters.

“We do not know how far the region will be drawn into escalation by Iran’s harsh counterstrikes,” Merz said, according to the Reuters report.

— Greg Iacurci

5 Hours Ago

What travelers in the Middle East need to know

A daytime view of a Qatar Airways commercial plane the state-owned flag carrier of Qatar, parked on the runway at Hamad International Airport.

Xavi Lopez | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Hundreds of thousands of travelers are affected by airspace closures in the Middle East. It isn’t immediately clear when the restrictions will lift and when airlines will complete safety checks to resume flights.

Airlines are likely to add additional flights to repatriate customers once they can fly again.

Because the disruptions are affecting some of the busiest hubs in the world, like Dubai, travelers’ schedules have been disrupted, stretching to far-flung destinations like the Maldives and elsewhere.

Many travel insurance polices don’t cover events like military conflicts or natural disasters after the fact, and customers would need what’s known as “cancel anytime” policies to be fully refunded.

Read the full story here.

—Leslie Josephs

6 Hours Ago

Shipping insurance costs jump

A cargo ship is pictured off coast city of Fujairah, in the Strait of Hormuz in the northern Emirate on February 25, 2026.

Giuseppe Cacace | Afp | Getty Images

It’s not only supply disruptions that could drive up the price of oil -- the fear of a disruption has an impact, too. Since tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalated, crude prices have risen, partly due to higher shipping costs. Insurers are raising prices for tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which in turn raises oil prices. That rise ultimately trickles through to consumers.

“It is very early to tell at this point, but we would estimate that near-term rate increases for Marine Hull insurance in the Gulf could range from 25 to 50 percent,” said Dylan Mortimer, marine hull UK war leader at insurance broker Marsh.

He added that a direct attack on merchant shipping could have “major repercussions across war insurance rates.”

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, settled at $72.48 per barrel on Friday, bringing its year-to-date gain to nearly 20%.

—Pippa Stevens

6 Hours Ago

Trump to talk with Iranians, The Atlantic reports

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., February 19, 2026.

Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

Trump will speak with Iranian leadership one day after launching a strike on the country that killed its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” Trump told The Atlantic on Sunday.

The U.S.-Israeli joint assault on Iran comes after Washington and Tehran were engaged in talks for a new nuclear agreement. Trump lamented to The Atlantic that Iran did not speak to him earlier.

“They should have done it sooner. They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long,” Trump said.

Trump declined to specify to the magazine when he would be speaking to Iranian representatives. However, he noted that many involved in the previous talks have since been killed.

“Most of those people are gone. Some of the people we were dealing with are gone, because that was a big— that was a big hit,” the president said.

Iran has since launched a counterattack on the U.S. and its regional allies. U.S. Central Command announced Sunday that three U.S. service members were killed in the operation.

— Garrett Downs

6 Hours Ago

U.S. uses Anthropic’s Claude to support Iran strikes, Axios says

The Anthropic logo appears on a smartphone screen with multiple Claude AI logos in the background. Following the release of Claude Opus 4.6 on February 5, Anthropic continues to challenge its main competitors in the generative AI market in Creteil, France, on February 6, 2026.

Samuel Boivin | Nurphoto | Getty Images

The U.S. military used Anthropic’s Claude artificial intelligence technology to support the strikes on Iran on Saturday, according to a report by Axios, which cited unidentified sources familiar with the Pentagon’s operations.

Trump on Friday had ordered U.S. government agencies to “immediately cease” using Anthropic’s services, after the AI startup refused to comply with demands about the use of its technology. He wrote on social media that there would be a six-month phase-out period.

Shortly afterward, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X that he was ordering the Pentagon to designate Anthropic a “Supply-Chain Risk to National Security.” Anthropic, which signed a $200 million contract with the Pentagon in July, said it would fight such a designation in court.

Anthropic wanted assurances that its AI models would not be used for fully autonomous weapons or mass domestic surveillance of Americans. The Defense Department resisted that request.

The U.S. military’s use of Claude during Operation Epic Fury in Iran follows its leveraging of the technology to capture Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January, which prompted the initial feud between Anthropic and the U.S. government, according to the Axios report.

OpenAI struck a deal with the Pentagon just hours after Trump blacklisted rival Anthropic.

— Greg Iacurci

6 Hours Ago

At least three tankers damaged in Gulf, report says. Maersk pauses, reroutes sailings

Smoke billows from an oil tanker under U.S. sanctions, that was hit off Oman’s Musandam peninsula, in this screen grab from a video obtained by REUTERS on March 1, 2026.

Reuters

At least three tankers in the Gulf have been damaged since the U.S. and Israel began trading strikes with Iran, Reuters reported Sunday. It is unclear whether the damage to the tankers was done deliberately or accidently.

Shipping giant Maersk said it has paused Trans-Suez sailings through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait for the moment. Instead, some sailings will be rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope. All vessel crossings in the Strait of Hormuz are also suspended, it said.

“The safety of our crews, vessels and customers’ cargo remains our key priority and we will continue to monitor the situation closely and take all needed actions,” the company said in a statement. “We remain committed to minimising the impact on our customers’ supply chains and will continue to keep them updated on the situation.”

Reuters reported that shipping sources told them that more than 200 vessels including oil and liquefied gas have dropped anchor in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding area. Positioned between Oman and Iran, the narrow channel is a potential chokepoint for global energy trade.

More than 14 million barrels per day traveled through the Strait last year, or a third of the world’s total seaborne crude exports, according to data from energy consulting firm Kpler. Only a fraction of that can be rerouted.

—Christina Cheddar Berk

7 Hours Ago

Trump to CNBC: U.S. ‘ahead of schedule’ in Iran

US President Donald Trump delivers remarks about energy at the Port of Corpus Christi in Texas, on Feb. 27, 2026.

Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images

President Donald Trump told CNBC’s Joe Kernen on Sunday that the U.S. operation in Iran is “moving along very well, very well — ahead of schedule.”

“It’s a very violent regime, one of the most violent regimes in history,” Trump said, reached by phone. “We’re doing our job not just for us but for the world. And everything is ahead of schedule.”

Trump on Saturday began a joint strike on Iran that killed the country’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since launched a counterattack. He has overseen the assault from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump addressed a potential off-ramp to end the conflict, which he said depends on many variables. But the president said things are moving in a positive direction.

“Things are evolving in a very positive way right now, a very positive way,” he said.

— Garrett Downs

7 Hours Ago

3 U.S. service members killed during Iran operation

Three U.S. soldiers have been killed in the U.S.-Israeli military operation in Iran that killed the country’s leader on Saturday, according to the U.S. Central Command.

“As of 9:30 am ET, March 1, three U.S. service members have been killed in action and five are seriously wounded as part of Operation Epic Fury,” U.S. Central Command said in a post on X. “Several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty.”

The deaths are the first known U.S. casualties of the combat, which began early Saturday and has prompted fierce retaliation from Tehran. The identities of the soldiers have not yet been released, pending notification of their families.

Trump warned there could be casualties as a result of the operation on Saturday.

“That often happens in war. But we are doing this not for now, we are doing this for the future and it is a noble mission,” Trump said.

—Garrett Downs

8 Hours Ago

Warner says he’s seen ‘no intelligence’ Iran planned preemptive strike

Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, speaks to members of the media following a Gang of Eight briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.

Graeme Sloane | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Sen. Mark Warner, (D-Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on Sunday he’s seen “no intelligence” to suggest that Iran was planning a preemptive strike on the U.S., as the Trump administration has claimed.

“I saw no intelligence that Iran was on the verge of launching any kind of preemptive strike against the United States of America,” Warner said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“None,” Warner, who has access to highly classified information in his role, added.

Warner’s statement directly contradicts the Trump administration’s justification for the conflict. The administration said Saturday that the strikes came as Iran was readying to hit U.S. interests.

“We had analysis that basically told us, if we sat back and waited to get hit first, the amount of casualties and damage would be substantially higher than if we acted in a preemptive defensive way to prevent those launches from occurring, and that is the focus of the campaign right now,” a senior Trump administration official told reporters Saturday, according to MS Now.

Republicans have largely defended the president’s strike.

Sen. Tom Cotton, (R-Ark.), Warner’s counterpart, said on CNN Sunday that “President Trump is right that it is absolutely vital and necessary now to address that threat before it fully materializes in the near future.”

— Garrett Downs

8 Hours Ago

U.S. Embassy ‘not in a position’ to evacuate or assist U.S. nationals leaving Israel

An Israeli flag is displayed in front of a building near a road sign for the US embassy in Jerusalem on September 27, 2023.

Ahmad Gharabli | Afp | Getty Images

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem said it is “not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans” who are trying to leave Israel.

Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international airport, remains closed to all commercial and charter flights, the Embassy said in a security alert.

It directed all U.S. government employees and their family members to continue to shelter in place in and near their residences until further notice.

“The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness — including knowing the location of the nearest shelter in the event of a red alert as security incidents, such as mortar, rocket, and missile fire, and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) intrusions, often take place without any warning,” the alert said. “The security environment is complex and can change quickly.”

—Greg Iacurci

9 Hours Ago

What a jump in oil prices means for U.S. consumers

Anna McConnell pumps gas into her vehicle on Oct. 24, 2025 in Miami, Florida.

Joe Raedle | Getty Images

Oil markets are on edge ahead of the start of trading at 6 p.m. ET, and any jump in prices could lead to higher prices at the pump for U.S. consumers.

Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates, expects crude prices to rise between $3 and $5 a barrel this evening, which translates to an 8 to 12 cent increase per gallon of gasoline. But he said the impact won’t be felt immediately — it will take between 7 and 10 days to show up at the pump.

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $2.98, according to AAA, down from $3.10 one year ago.

Lipow cautioned that a complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz could drive oil prices up by as much as $20 per barrel, translating to a 50-cent increase in the price per gallon of gasoline. Under such a scenario, the U.S., the European Union and others would likely tap their strategic petroleum reserves to counter supply disruptions, he said.

—Pippa Stevens

9 Hours Ago

Another 1,500 Middle East flights canceled due to strikes

A person points at a page on the Flightradar 24 website thats shows civilian flights avoiding Iranian and Iraqi sky, in Paris on March 1, 2026.

Anna Kurth | Afp | Getty Images

Another 1,579 flights in and out of major airports in the Middle East were canceled on Sunday, Cirium said. Dubai International Airport, which reported damage from an incident on Saturday, was the most affected, with 747 flights, or 70% of its flights, canceled, Cirium said.

At least 70% of flights were also canceled in Israel and Qatar.

Airspace closures in the region grounded hundreds of flights in the region.

—Leslie Josephs

10 Hours Ago

OPEC+ agrees to raise oil production by 206,000 barrels per day

An installation depicting barrel of oil with the logo of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is seen during the COP29 United Nations climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan November 19, 2024. 

Maxim Shemetov | Reuters

OPEC+ has agreed to raise oil production by a modest 206,000 barrels per day, the group said in a statement Sunday.

“In view of a steady global economic outlook and current healthy market fundamentals, as reflected in the low oil inventories, the eight participating countries decided to resume the unwinding of the 1.65 million barrels per day of additional voluntary adjustments announced in April 2023 and agreed on a production adjustment of 206 thousand barrels per day,” OPEC+ said.

The group includes Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman, among others.

The announcement comes amid heightened fears of a disruption to oil supplies from the Gulf region as U.S. and Israeli airstrikes target Iran’s leadership and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes on key regional cities in its vicinity.

For more, read Lee Ying Shan’s story on how energy markets are braced for possible interruptions to energy supplies from the Middle East here.

—Azhar Sukri

12 Hours Ago

Dubai, Abu Dhabi hit by Iranian strikes for a second day

A yacht sails past a plume of smoke rising from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on March 1, 2026.

Fadel Senna | Afp | Getty Images

The United Arab Emirates has been hit by retaliatory strikes from Iran for a second day. CNBC’s team in the country heard explosions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Dubai’s media office confirmed that “debris from drones intercepted by air defences fell in the courtyards of two homes in Dubai, resulting in two injuries.” The authorities also wrote on X that the major port and logistics hub of Jebel Ali was hit by “debris resulting from an aerial interception” which caused a fire at one of the berths.

On Saturday, the major travel and tourism hub of Dubai was hit by debris and several strikes. According to the Media office, the attacks hit the Fairmont Hotel on the Palm and the Burj Al Arab, which was on fire due to falling debris, authorities said. The Burj Al Arab, an iconic sail-shaped hotel on Dubai’s landmark Jumeirah beach, stands out as a landmark of luxury, alongside the Burj Khalifa in Dubai’s downtown.

Early Sunday morning, both Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports were hit by strikes. “Dubai Airports confirms that a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained,” officials wrote on X. The UAE’s airspace remained closed and flights into Abu Dhabi via Etihad were suspended further until 2 a.m. local time on Monday.

Abu Dhabi confirmed earlier this morning that authorities “responded to an incident resulting from the interception of a drone that targeted Zayed International Airport. The interception led to falling debris, which resulted in one fatality of an Asian national and seven injuries.”

Officials in Abu Dhabi confirmed an “incident involving the fall of debris from a drone after it was intercepted by air defence systems” onto one of the buildings at Etihad Towers, a major residential tower with a Conrad Hotel inside.

The incident resulted in minor injuries to a woman and her child, as well as minor material damage, according to a post by the Media Office. Shrapnel also hit the Union Towers building in Abu Dhabi in the last hour.

—Emma Graham

11 Hours Ago

Iran names Alireza Arafi to Interim Leadership Council after Khamenei’s death

Women walk past electoral posters of Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a candidate for the upcoming Assembly of Experts elections in downtown Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024.

Vahid Salemi | AP

Iran has named senior cleric Ayatollah Alireza Arafi to its interim Leadership Council following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

A spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to MS Now that Arafi was elected alongside President Masoud Pezeshkian and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei to oversee the supreme leader’s duties until a permanent successor is chosen.

Reuters, citing the ISNA news agency, reported that Arafi, a member of the Guardian Council and Assembly of Experts, will help guide the clerical republic through its constitutional transition.

-- Spriha Srivastava

11 Hours Ago

$100 oil? Prolonged Hormuz closure could spark a 1970s-style energy shock

Oil markets are bracing for a possible supply shock after U.S. strikes on Iran over the weekend reignited fears that flows through the Strait of Hormuz could be disrupted.

While analysts expect an immediate “knee-jerk” reaction to oil prices when trading resumes in New York on Sunday evening, the bigger question is whether tensions could escalate into a sustained interruption of Gulf exports. 

“At this point, it seems we are looking at a full-scale military conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which would be unprecedented and the trajectory impossible to assess,” said Vandana Hari, CEO of energy research firm Vanda Insights.

Brent crude settled at $72.48 on Friday, bringing its year-to-date gain to about 19%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) closed at $62.02, up roughly 16% so far this year.

An infographic titled “Strait of Hormuz” created in Ankara, Turkiye on June 17, 2025.

Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images

Read the full story here.

-- Lee Ying Shan

12 Hours Ago

U.S.-Israel strikes Iran: What we know as markets brace for turmoil

Plumes of smoke rise over the residential areas of the Iranian capital following airstrikes amid ongoing U.S.â“Israel attacks as multiple explosions are heard across the city in Tehran, Iran on March 01, 2026.

Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images

Investors are bracing for risk-off trades once markets reopen after the weekend, as the conflict in the Middle East widens.

Gains are expected in so-called safe-haven assets like the U.S. dollar and gold, while equities could pull back.

Oil market participants have been closely watching the conflict, which risks a major oil supply shock in the Middle East.

Markets could swing between risk-on relief — if regime collapse removes the threat of oil blockades or nuclear escalation — and risk-off persistence if conflict drags on and supply disruptions intensify, according to Ben Emons of FedWatch Advisors.

Airlines have canceled hundreds of flights, while dozens of others were rerouted mid-flight due to closed airspace over a large swath of the Middle East. Airspace closures also forced carriers to scrub flights that would normally transit the region.

Read the full story here.

—Anniek Bao

13 Hours Ago

Iran’s internet has been down for more than 24 hours, monitoring organization says

Iran’s internet been down for more than 24 hours, an online traffic monitoring organization said Sunday.

“The measure limits civic engagement at a key moment for the country’s future after the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei in US and Israeli airstrikes,” NetBlocks said in a post on X.

Network connectivity in Iran from Feb. 24, 2026 to March 1, 2026. NetBlocks.org.

NetBlocks.org

—Azhar Sukri

14 Hours Ago

Israel says it has carried out more strikes in Tehran

Smoke rises from the area after it was targeted in attacks as a series of explosions are heard in Tehran, Iran on March 01, 2026.

Fatemeh Bahrami | Anadolu | Getty Images

Israel said Sunday it has carried out more strikes against Iran’s government in the capital.

“The Air Force, guided by Military Intelligence, has now launched a broad wave of strikes toward targets of the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a post on X.

“Over the past day, the Air Force conducted extensive strikes to achieve air superiority and open the path to Tehran,” the IDF said.

—Azhar Sukri

15 Hours Ago

Investors reassess risk after Khamenei strike, with oil in spotlight

An Iranian man holds up a portrait of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in Tehran, Iran, on March 1, 2026, following the confirmation of Ayatollah Khamenei’s death by state TV.

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Iran woke up Sunday to a once-in-a-generation shock: state media confirmed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint U.S.–Israel strike.

For markets, the key question is what comes next.

Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Research, Eric Robertsen, said in a note that investors had already been underpricing geopolitical risk. The U.S. dollar is only modestly weaker year-to-date, but the dispersion beneath the surface is telling: commodity-linked currencies are outperforming, suggesting markets are paying for exposure to scarce resources and terms-of-trade winners.

Ben Emons of FedWatch Advisors adds a high-volatility geopolitical lens. Leadership strikes in Tehran raise regime-change tail risks and leave an uncertain endgame. Markets could swing between risk-on relief — if regime collapse removes the threat of oil blockades or nuclear escalation — and risk-off persistence if conflict drags on and supply disruptions intensify.

The immediate pressure point may be energy. A sustained surge in crude prices would quickly ripple through inflation expectations and hit Asia’s oil-importing economies hardest, analysts say.

As trading resumes, investors will be watching oil prices and the U.S. dollar versus Asian currencies for the first real signal of how seriously this shock is being priced in.

—Spriha Srivastava

15 Hours Ago

Middle East markets lower on Sunday as regional tensions rise

Markets in the Middle East opened lower on Sunday due to regional tensions.

s in Muscat opened lower as investors withdrew funds, indicating market fear that the weekend’s events would turn into a protracted conflict after Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran, and the Islamic Republic retaliated across Arab and Gulf cities.

Muscat’s main index, the .MSX30, tumbled more than 3% in Sunday trade. The country was not targeted by the Islamic Republic as it played a key mediation role in talks between the U.S. and Iran in recent weeks. Oman’s foreign minister took to X to express his “dismay” at the joint strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, saying “active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined.”

Kuwait’s stock exchange implemented a trading suspension until further notice. Kuwait was hit by Iranian missiles, as was Amman, Doha and Riyadh, which remained open on Sunday.

Saud Arabia’s Tadawul was down nearly 1.5%, while Qatar’s main benchmark traded down nearly 2%. Amman’s bourse was also down 2%, while Bahrain’s exchange hovered around 0.88% lower.

The United Arab Emirates has been subjected to a second day of explosions, heard by CNBC’s team on the ground in the country. Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s exchanges open for trade on Monday morning; they closed lower in Friday’s trade.

Israel’s Tel Aviv stock exchange opens Monday morning for trading, and the exchange shifted in January to Monday-Friday trading in line with global markets.

—Emma Graham

16 Hours Ago

Iran’s Larijani says U.S., Israel seek to ‘plunder and disintegrate Iran’: State TV

Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani attends a ceremony by the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah marking the first anniversary of Israel’s assassination of their longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut’s southern suburbs on September 27, 2025.

Anwar Amro | Afp | Getty Images

Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, said the United States and Israel are seeking to “plunder and disintegrate” the country, Reuters reported, citing state television, as Tehran moves to shore up control following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Larijani said a temporary leadership council would be established on Sunday and warned that any “secessionist groups” attempting to take action would face a harsh response.

—Lee Ying Shan

16 Hours Ago

UAE announces remote learning for schools, universities from Monday as Iran targets Gulf states

A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on March 1, 2026.

Fadel Senna | Afp | Getty Images

The United Arab Emirates has ordered schools and universities nationwide to switch to remote learning from Monday to Wednesday as Iran launches attacks on Arab states with U.S. assets.

In a post on X Sunday, the UAE’s Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said that students, educational and administrative staff in all public and private schools nationwide will switch to “distance learning” for the upcoming three days.

— Anniek Bao

17 Hours Ago

Trump warns Iran against retaliation, vows using force ‘never been seen before’

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media after arriving in Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S., Feb. 27, 2026.

Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Sunday that Washington would respond with unprecedented force if Iran retaliates against recent U.S. strikes.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever been hit before,” adding, “THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”

—Lee Ying Shan

16 Hours Ago

Waves of loud blasts reported in Doha for second day: media reports

Motorists drive past a plume of smoke rising from a reported Iranian strike in the industrial district of Doha on March 1, 2026.

- | Afp | Getty Images

Several loud explosions were heard in the Qatari capital Doha for a second day on Sunday, according to media reports.

Reuters reported blasts were heard in the Dubai area as well as Doha. In a video posted by Doha News on Sunday, thick smoke was seen billowing near Barwa in Doha after Iran launched missiles towards Qatar that hosts U.S. military bases.

— Anniek Bao

17 Hours Ago

Iran after Khamenei: What’s next and what it means for the world?\

The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sets in motion a formal succession process that could have significant implications for the country’s political stability, sanctions outlook and already strained economy.

However, analysts warned that elimination of the supreme leader does not equal transformation.

“Taking out Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not the same as regime change. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is the regime,” the Council on Foreign Relations noted following his passing, limiting the prospects for immediate political or economic transformation. 

Marko Papic, chief strategist at Clocktower Group, echoed a similar views: “The Iranian economy is soon to be a parking lot unless the next Supreme Leader is more amenable to negotiating with the U.S.”

Read the full story here.

— Lee Ying Shan

18 Hours Ago

Airports in Gulf states, hotel damaged as Iran retaliates against U.S.-Israeli strikes

Airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were damaged overnight as Iranian retaliatory attacks spread across the Gulf states.

“An incident” at Dubai International Airport left four staff injured, according to a social media post by the emirate’s media office.

Most airport terminals had been cleared of passengers, the authority said, adding that further updates will be provided as they become available.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi also reported an interception of a drone that targeted the Zayed International airport, killing an Asian national and leaving seven injured.

Iran has responded to the U.S.-Israel strikes by targeting Israel and multiple Gulf states, including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan, which host U.S. assets.

An intercepted Iranian drone reportedly caused a minor fire on the Burj Al Arab’s outer facade.

One of the berths at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port also caught fire due to debris resulting from an aerial interception, according to local media reports, citing Dubai authorities.

—Anniek Bao

18 Hours Ago

Iran hit by near-total internet blackout as conflict intensifies

Iran experienced a near-total internet shutdown starting around 2 a.m. ET Saturday, according to independent internet monitoring group NetBlocks.

The organization, which uses network measurement and web traffic analytics to detect government-imposed outages, reported that national connectivity fell to just 4% of normal levels.

Posting on X, NetBlocks said the disruption coincided with U.S. and Israeli military operations and resembled restrictions imposed during last year’s conflict with Israel.

—Lee Ying Shan

18 Hours Ago

Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps chief dies in U.S.-Israeli attack: Reports

Commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps died in the U.S.-Israeli attack against Tehran on Saturday, the country’s official news agency reported. Ali Shamkhani, representative of the Supreme Leader in the Supreme Defense Council, was also killed.

“We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces no longer want to fight and are looking for Immunity from us,” Trump said in the aftermath of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death.

— Vinay Dwivedi

MARCH 3^rd

ATTACHMENT “G” – FROM NBC

6 U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED SINCE START OF WAR

Iran's top national security official, Ali Larijani, vowed "we will not negotiate with the United States" as the conflict intensified after the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed.

March 03, 2026, 2:20 AM EST

· IRAN WAR INTENSIFIES: The United States and Israel hit thousands of targets inside Iran, continuing their joint campaign after they killed its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s Red Crescent said more than 550 people were killed in the strikes.

· TEHRAN HITS BACK: Iran escalated attacks on Israel and targets across the Middle East, with six U.S. service members killed. Kuwait mistakenly downed three U.S. fighter jets. Eleven people were killed in Israel, officials said, and deaths were reported in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain.

· CONFLICT SPREADS: Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon fired missiles at Israel, which responded with its own strikes. Dozens of people were killed, according to Lebanese authorities.

· WAR WON’T BE ‘ENDLESS’: President Donald Trump says the U.S. operation is expected to last “four to five weeks” but could go “far longer.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said today that the war in Iran will not be “endless” and that the U.S. goal is not regime change. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that Trump won't "rule out anything," including using ground forces.

· TEHRAN SAYS NO TALKS: Iran’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, vowed “we will not negotiate with the United States” after Trump said Iranian officials do want to talk with the U.S. and “are talking.”

· GLOBAL DISRUPTION: The price of oil has risen sharply as the conflict disrupts supplies. Countries are also scrambling to evacuate their citizens from Gulf states under attack from Iran amid widespread flight cancellations and airport closures.

NEW UPDATES

16h ago / 2:20 AM EST

U.S. ambassador to Israel says Americans have ‘very limited options’ to leave

Jay Ganglani

Americans have “very limited options” to leave Israel, according to the U.S. ambassador Mike Huckabee.  

In a post on X, Huckabee said that the U.S. embassy was “not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel.”

Instead, he recommended that Americans take a bus operated by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism to Taba in Egypt, where they can either board a flight from there or from Cairo.

He also added that he did not recommend traveling through Jordan, as flights are not consistent.

16h ago / 2:03 AM EST

U.S. nonemergency personnel in Iraq, Bahrain and Qatar ordered to leave

Dennis Romero and Bella LoBue

The war has escalated the U.S. Department of State's maneuvers to keep Americans safe in the Middle East, including ordering nonemergency personnel in Iraq, Bahrain and Qatar to get out.

According to embassy statements, nonemergency U.S. government employees and any family members with them have been ordered to leave those countries.

For Iraq, the department cited "terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and the U.S. government’s limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq." For Bahrain, it cited "terrorism and armed conflict," and for Qatar it cited the "risk of armed conflict."

The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, which had earlier urged Americans to shelter in place, said it is closing until further notice. The U.S. Embassy in Bahrain also said it is closed until further notice, and the U.S. Embassy Doha said it has suspended routine consular services.

Iraq is under the Department of State's highest travel advisory warning level, which states "do not travel." Advisories for Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar remain at the next highest level: reconsider travel there.

16h ago / 1:43 AM EST

'This is an incredible moment': Iranian Americans celebrate Khamenei’s death 

NBC News

More than half a million Iranians call the U.S. home, and many of them are celebrating a moment of hope after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"The people of Iran are on a mission to have freedom, and all the diaspora of Iranians over the world are chanting and excited because we see freedom at hand," one woman told NBC News.

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17h ago / 1:25 AM EST

NBC South Florida producer stuck in Dubai after visiting Taj Mahal

Minyvonne Burke

NBC South Florida executive producer Lianna Saldana and her husband are stuck in Dubai amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Saldana and her husband had spent the past several days vacationing in the Maldives and visiting the Taj Mahal in India. They had what was supposed to be a 12-hour layover in Dubai before continuing their trek home to Miami.

Saldana told NBC South Florida that about an hour into the trip to Dubai, she received a notification about airstrikes in Iran.

“I just remember looking at my husband and saying, ‘Wow … we’re in trouble,’” she said.

17h ago / 12:55 AM EST

Iran war leads to tensions and travel chaos across Middle East

Keir Simmons

Reporting from Dubai

Iran has targeted several cities across the Middle East with hundreds of missiles and drones. Now, some countries in the Gulf are threatening to join the war. 

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17h ago / 12:39 AM EST

Asia markets slide on fears of instability brought by Iran war

Jennifer Jett

Reporting from Hong Kong

Asia markets mostly fell as the war in Iran began its fourth day and investors worried about its implications for energy prices and the global economy.

Leading the losses was South Korea’s Kospi, which fell more than 5% by the afternoon after being closed for a public holiday, though some defense stocks had substantial gains.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 was down 2.75%, extending losses for a second day, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost about 1.4%. Stocks also fell in mainland China and Hong Kong.

In the United States, S&P 500 futures were off about 0.75% after closing flat amid a surge in crude oil prices and fears that trade could be disrupted around the world as the war chokes off the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route.

18h ago / 12:23 AM EST

Trump, who campaigned against 'endless' wars, enters Iran with no end date

Henry J. Gomez, Allan Smith and Tara Prindiville

Trump has a long history of denouncing forever wars and promising, as president himself, to keep the U.S. out of the sorts of foreign entanglements that could lead to them. But one year into his second term, he has ordered military action in multiple countries, including the January strike on Venezuela to capture Nicolás Maduro.

And now with the war in Iran, Trump has plunged America into its most significant conflict since the post-9/11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — without any congressional approval.

At a briefing today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected suggestions that Iran could become Trump’s Iraq, pledging that it would not spiral into an “endless” war. But Trump himself indicated the U.S. could be engaged for longer than he bargained.

“Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks,” Trump said at a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House. “But we have capability to go far longer than that.”

18h ago / 12:03 AM EST

Visa appointments canceled in Pakistan after deadly protest at U.S. consulate

Jennifer Jett

U.S. diplomatic missions in Pakistan are canceling visa appointments after a deadly demonstration by pro-Iran protesters outside a U.S. consulate.

“Due to the current security situation, the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the Consulates General in Lahore and Karachi have cancelled all visa appointments through Friday, March 6,” the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said on X.

At least 10 people were killed and dozens of others injured were yesterday when Shiite Muslim protesters angered by the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, clashed with police outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi.

Separately, at least 12 people were killed in northern Pakistan when thousands of protesters attacked a United Nations office, and one person was killed in clashes in Islamabad as protesters tried to march toward the U.S. Embassy.

18h ago / 11:51 PM EST

U.S. Central Command: 'U.S. forces are hitting Iran surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically'

NBC News

U.S. Central Command shared video tonight that it said shows U.S. strikes in Iran.

"U.S. forces are hitting Iran surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically," the command center said on X, along with a video that appeared to show missile launchers.

CENTCOM also boasted that its offensive has had success against military sites in Iran.

"U.S. forces have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields during sustained operations," it said on X.

It said threats will not be ignored.

"We will continue to take decisive action against imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime," CENTCOM said.

Earlier, it reported that six U.S. service members have been killed in action since the strikes began over the weekend.

19h ago / 11:29 PM EST

China raises concerns about war's effect on Gulf nations

Jennifer Jett and Erin Tan

Reporting from Hong Kong

China’s foreign minister urged Gulf countries to unite against external interference as Iran launches strikes on U.S. allies in the region in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli attack that killed its supreme leader.

Though China has close ties with Iran, it also has major commercial interests in Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. In a call yesterday with the foreign minister of Oman, which helped facilitate U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks before the war began, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi encouraged unity among Gulf nations to “keep their future and destiny in their own hands,” according to a ministry statement.

In a separate call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Wang said he was confident that Iran would be “able to maintain domestic stability” and “take into account the legitimate concerns of neighboring countries.”

China, which has lost at least one citizen in the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, has condemned them as a violation of international law, with Wang saying Khamenei’s killing was “unacceptable.” It has urged all parties to cease military action and resume dialogue.

19h ago / 11:14 PM EST

Iran operation will be a 'quick and decisive action,' Netanyahu says

Jasmine Green and Dennis Romero

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation against Iran will be "a quick and decisive action" and not result in an "endless war."

Speaking to Fox News' Sean Hannity, Netanyahu argued that the U.S.-Israel offensive, which has killed Iran’s supreme leader, put the country's leadership at “the weakest point that it’s been since it hijacked Iran from the brave Iranian people 47 years ago” during the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

“This is going to be a quick and decisive action, and we’re going to create the conditions, first, for the Iranian people to get control of their destiny, to form their own democratically elected government, which will make Iran a different Iran altogether,” he said.

Netanyahu said the attacks were prompted by Iran's nuclear program. He said he sees Iran as defanged and added that the operation will change the region.

"Iran has been the main engine of war over these years," he said. "It's just 95% of all the problems you see in the Middle East are generated by Iran."

19h ago / 10:44 PM EST

Bahraini authorities urge residents to remain calm and seek shelter

Jay Ganglani

A siren was heard in Bahrain as authorities urged residents to remain calm and seek shelter.  

“The siren has been sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe space,” the country’s Interior Ministry wrote on X. 

Bahrain's ambassador to the U.S. had earlier said Bahrain's defenses intercepted 70 Iranian ballistic missiles and 59 drones targeting the country.

"Attacks on civilian sites are a grave violation of sovereignty" and international law, the ambassador said, adding: "We reserve full right to respond."

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20h ago / 10:27 PM EST

Iranian state TV complex attacked, IDF says

Babak Dehghanpisheh

The Israeli military attacked the Iranian state TV complex today, the Israel Defense Forces said in a video statement posted on its Farsi-language account on X.

Peyman Jebelli, the head of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, said on the news channel that the U.S. and Israel targeted its headquarters.

He said the building was also attacked yesterday and during the 12-day war in June.

Jebelli said that “due to measures that had been put in place, broadcasting is continuing normally.”

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20h ago / 10:02 PM EST

Trump sends war powers notification to Congress

+2

Katherine Doyle, Frank Thorp V and Raquel Coronell Uribe

Trump sent a war powers notification to Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to apprise Congress of “military action taken on February 28, 2026, against the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The letter says that despite Trump’s “repeated efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to Iran’s malign behavior, the threat to the United States and its allies and partners became untenable.”

President Donald Trump today at the White House. Win McNamee / Getty Images

Trump added that it is “not possible” to know the full scope and duration of operations in Iran at this time.

The letter was sent to Congress to adhere to the War Powers Act, which requires the president to alert Congress when U.S. armed forces have been  deployed “into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances,” among other requirements.

The War Powers Act provides for automatic termination of using U.S. forces in hostilities 60 days after the president was required to report the use of force, unless Congress declares war, but the president can extend the use of force an additional 30 days by writing to Congress.

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20h ago / 9:42 PM EST

NYPD will deploy extra resources to 'Jewish sites and neighborhoods'

Raquel Coronell Uribe

The New York Police Department said it will be “out in full force” tonight to ensure Jewish New Yorkers can safely celebrate the Purim holiday.

“Given the heightened threat environment, and out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD is deploying extra resources to Jewish sites and neighborhoods across the five boroughs,” the NYPD wrote on X.

New Yorkers can expect to see counterterrorism and other specialized teams, as well as drones and additional officers, on the streets and subways, the department said.

“There will be assets you see, and those you don’t see,” it said.

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21h ago / 9:18 PM EST

Proxy fight playing out in Lebanon

Daniele Hamamdjian

Reporting from Beirut

Israel said it is hitting missile launch sites and weapon storage facilities in Lebanon belonging to Hezbollah after the Iran-backed group fired missiles at Israel.

21h ago / 9:00 PM EST

Drone strikes damage three Amazon data centers, causing major disruptions

Kevin Collier and Steve Kopack

Amazon Web Services is experiencing significant disruption in the Middle East after three of its data centers were hit with drone strikes, the company said this evening.

Two of the strikes were direct hits in the United Arab Emirates, and another site in Bahrain was affected after a drone hit nearby, AWS said in an update on its website. It did not name who was responsible for the attack; Iran has sent swarms of drones to nearby countries, including Bahrain and the UAE, as attacks have escalated across the region.

“These strikes have caused structural damage, disrupted power delivery to our infrastructure, and in some cases required fire suppression activities that resulted in additional water damage. We are working closely with local authorities and prioritizing the safety of our personnel throughout our recovery efforts,” the update said.

The damage affects a range of Amazon services, it said, and recovery is likely to be “prolonged given the nature of the physical damage involved.”

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21h ago / 8:39 PM EST

Vance says Iranian claims on nuke enrichment didn't 'pass the smell test'

Phil Helsel

Vice President JD Vance said in an interview broadcast tonight that he did not believe Iran’s claims that its nuclear enrichment program was for purely civilian purposes.

Vance made the comments to Fox News' Jesse Watters.

“The Iranians would come back to us, Jesse, and say, ‘Well, having enrichment for civilian purposes, for energy purposes, is a matter of national pride,’” Vance said.

“So, we would say, ‘OK, that’s interesting, but why are you building your enrichment facilities 70 feet underground, and why are you enriching to a level that’s way beyond civilian enrichment and is only useful if your goal is to build a nuclear bomb?” he said.

“It just doesn’t pass the smell test for you to say you want enrichment for medical isotopes while at the same time trying to build a facility 70, 80 feet underground,” he said.

The U.S. attacked Iran's nuclear enrichment sites in June. It was the first time the U.S. had attacked Iran.

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22h ago / 8:17 PM EST

U.N. agency says Israel is putting Gaza in 'a new chokehold'

Mirna Alsharif

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), spoke against Israel's once again restricting the entry of supplies and aid into Gaza, calling it "a new chokehold."

"After more than two years of unspeakable suffering & a spreading man-made famine, people still lack the most basic supplies, despite increases in aid since the ceasefire," Lazzarini said in a statement. "#UNRWA personnel in Gaza keep providing healthcare, learning & clean water — but we must be allowed to do much more & certainly not less."

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22h ago / 7:58 PM EST

Rubio says there was 'imminent threat' to U.S. troops if Iran was attacked

Abigail Williams

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that the U.S. believed Iran was going to be attacked and that if that happened, “there absolutely was an imminent threat” to U.S. personnel.

“The imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us,” Rubio told reporters at the Capitol.

Rubio said that whether Iran was attacked by the U.S. or Israel, "they were going to respond against the U.S.," and that as a result, “we went proactively in a defensive way to prevent them from inflicting higher damage.”

“We were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded,” he said.

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22h ago / 7:45 PM EST

U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia struck by drones

NBC News

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was attacked by two drones, a spokesperson for the Saudi Defense Ministry said tonight. A Saudi official told NBC News no one was injured.

Initial estimates indicate the attack resulted "in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building," the Defense Ministry spokesperson said on X.

The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said on X that the U.S. Mission in the country has issued a shelter-in-place order for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran.

“We recommend American citizens in the Kingdom to shelter in place immediately,” the embassy said.

The embassy was open and operating normally before the strike, the State Department said,

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23h ago / 7:24 PM EST

IDF says it killed head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Beirut

Raquel Coronell Uribe

The IDF said it has killed Abu Hamza Rami, the commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Lebanon sector in Beirut.

The IDF said Rami “carried out hundreds of terrorist attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians” and moved militants through the Syria-Lebanon border.

“His elimination has significantly degraded PIJ’s ability to carry out terrorist operations against Israel,” the IDF said.

The U.S. National Counterterrorism Center describes Palestinian Islamic Jihad as "a Sunni Islamist militant group that is committed to destroying Israel and establishing an Islamist Palestinian state."

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23h ago / 7:00 PM EST

Speaker Johnson says ‘Israel was determined to act’ on Iran, with or without U.S.

Phil Helsel

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., today said that Israel was determined to act with or without the U.S.

Johnson called it a “defensive operation" in remarks to reporters after a briefing on Iran.

“Israel was determined to act in their own defense here, with or without American support,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the Trump administration “had a very difficult decision to make,” including assessing the threats to U.S. forces in the region.

Based on “exquisite intelligence that we had,” Johnson said, if Israel fired on Iran, Iran would have immediately responded with attacks on U.S. forces in the region.

“The consequences of inaction on our part could have been devastating,” he said.

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23h ago / 6:45 PM EST

IDF working to intercept missiles launched from Iran toward Israel

Raquel Coronell Uribe

The Israel Defense Forces said tonight that it identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel, adding that the country’s defensive systems are working to “intercept the threat.”

The IDF added that its Home Front Command sent precautionary alerts to cellphones in the relevant areas and urged those who received them to “enter a protected space and remain there until further notice.”

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23h ago / 6:35 PM EST

Israel’s military says it's striking Hezbollah targets in Beirut

NBC News

The Israel Defense Forces says it is striking Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.

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23h ago / 6:32 PM EST

Trump blasts Democrats for criticizing him over attack

Raquel Coronell Uribe

Trump blasted Democrats for “complaining bitterly about the very necessary and important attack” on Iran, claiming they are complaining because he was the one to do it.

“If I didn’t do it, they would be screaming — Why didn’t ‘TRUMP’ attack Iran, he should do it, IMMEDIATELY?” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

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1d ago / 5:57 PM EST

18 U.S. service members seriously wounded in operation

Courtney Kube and Mosheh Gains

Eighteen U.S. service members have been seriously wounded across the region from attacks during the initial 24 hours of the Iran operation, a U.S. official told NBC News.

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1d ago / 5:22 PM EST

State Department urges Americans in 14 countries to leave immediately

Raquel Coronell Uribe

Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar said on X today that the State Department is urging Americans in 14 countries in the Middle East to "DEPART NOW" using commercial transportation “due to serious safety risks.”

The countries on the list are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

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1d ago / 4:41 PM EST

Iranian Red Crescent says attacks have targeted civilian homes and tourist sites

Mirna Alsharif

The Iranian Red Crescent said U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have targeted civilian homes and tourist sites, such as the Golestan Palace.

The attacks have also targeted Red Crescent branches in the cities of Ilam and Kermanshah, the organization said.

"The Red Crescent emblem is an internationally protected symbol, yet the principle of distinction between military and civilian targets has not been respected," the organization said in a statement. "We urge responsible authorities and international bodies to vigorously investigate and pursue these matters."

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1d ago / 4:18 PM EST

Rubio says next phase of Iran operation will be 'more punishing'

Raquel Coronell Uribe

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the next phase of the Iran operation will be “even more punishing.”

“I’m not going to give away the details of our tactical efforts, but the hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now,” Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill before he briefed the “Gang of Eight” this afternoon.

“Someone was screaming, ‘How long will it take?’ I don’t know how long it will take. We have objectives. We will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives, and we will achieve those objectives. The world will be a safer place when we’re done with this operation,” he added.

Moments earlier, Rubio had said the objective was to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities. He added that that can be achieved “without ground forces,” which he said the U.S. is not postured to deploy.

“But obviously, the president has those options. He’s never going to rule out anything,” Rubio said.

1d ago / 4:09 PM EST

6 U.S. service members killed in action since start of Iran war

Gavon Laessig

The death toll of U.S. service members killed following the start of the Iran operation has risen to six, U.S. Central Command says.

"As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran’s initial attacks in the region," CENTCOM said in a release on X.

"Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification."

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1d ago / 4:00 PM EST

‘We can’t find a way home’: Americans stranded overseas amid Iran strikes

NBC News

Thousands of flights were canceled, with several countries closing their airspace amid strikes in Iran. An American father and daughter and their pastor — stranded in Jerusalem — spoke with NBC News about their experience sheltering in place. 

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1d ago / 3:52 PM EST

U.S. Embassy in Jordanian capital evacuated 'due to threat'

Joe Kottke

All personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, have temporarily departed the embassy compound "due to a threat," according to a security alert.

The alert did not include any details about the threat.

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1d ago / 3:47 PM EST

Despite threats, Iranian hackers are quiet so far

Kevin Collier

Hacker groups aligned with Iran are making threats on social media — and Iran is conducting some conventional reconnaissance hacking — but there have been no confirmed major cyberattacks from the Islamic Republic since the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury, American and Israeli cybersecurity companies say.

“Cyber espionage has begun much before the war started,” said Gil Messing, the chief of staff of the Israeli cybersecurity company Check Point, in an email to NBC News. “Much of what we see here we also saw in the June war between Israel and Iran.”

“Iranian cyberespionage has resumed after a brief lull during the initial military strikes,” John Hultquist, the chief analyst of Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, said in an emailed statement.

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1d ago / 3:12 PM EST

Over 1,250 targets struck in Iran, U.S. CENTCOM says

Mosheh Gains and Mirna Alsharif

In the first 48 hours of Operation Epic Fury, over 1,250 targets were struck in Iran, U.S. Central Command said.

The targets include Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters, command and control centers, ballistic missile sites, navy ships and communication capabilities, according to CENTCOM.

CENTCOM also says that the Iranian regime has no ships in the Gulf of Oman. Two days ago they had 11, according to the U.S. military.

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1d ago / 2:10 PM EST

Satellite images show damage from strikes at drone base in Iran

Matt Nighswander

Satellite images from before and after airstrikes today at the Choqa Balk-e facility, a drone base in western Iran, show extensive damage to storage buildings, bunkers and drone launch equipment.

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1d ago / 2:08 PM EST

Trump's strategy for Iranians taking over the regime remains unclear

Richard Engel

Trump has called on Iranians to rise up and take over their country's government after the elimination of much its top leadership, but it remains unclear how the president expects the people of Iran to do so, or whether the U.S. strategy is meant to weaken Tehran to the point that a popular street revolution could hope to succeed.

Trump has discussed the military objectives and the war's justification, arguing that Iran did not want to negotiate over its nuclear enrichment program, which the U.S. alleges was aimed at developing nuclear weapons. Arab negotiators, including the Omani foreign minister, however, said both sides were making progress before the attack unfolded and were supposed to have follow-up negotiations and technical meetings. So there are real questions about the future objectives of the war, including who will take over Iran if the regime collapses, and why the military campaign was launched when it was.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters that the goal of the war was to teach Iran a lesson and destroy the regime. In Israel, the mood appears to be in favor of the conflict, with Israelis pushing for the strike campaign against Iran to continue.

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1d ago / 2:03 PM EST

Americans in Iran advised to leave or shelter in place

Austin Mullen and Mirna Alsharif

Americans in Iran are advised to leave Iran by land now if possible, according to a security alert from the U.S. Department of State Consular Affairs.

Options for those who can leave the country include Turkey and Armenia, the department said. A valid U.S. passport is needed to travel to these countries.

Those who cannot leave are advised to find a secure location and shelter in place, the department said.

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1d ago / 1:26 PM EST

Analysis: Hezbollah strikes create problems for both Israel and Lebanon

Matt Bradley

Reporting from Tel Aviv

Hezbollah's decision to open a fresh front in the three-day war between Iran and the United States and Israel has proven to be a significant setback for the Lebanese government, which promised attempts to disarm the Iran-backed militant group.

Two of the missiles were eliminated by Israeli anti-air forces and one fell harmlessly into an unpopulated area.

But Israel’s counterattack was a deadly display of why Hezbollah is wearing on the Lebanese leadership. The IDF struck Hezbollah strongholds in the south of the capital Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Beqaa Valley, killing at least 31 people and injuring more than 100.

The strikes recalled how Israel’s government severely punished the group over the past two years of conflict, killing hundreds of Lebanese civilians, sparking an internal displacement crisis and destroying swaths of southern Lebanon.

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1d ago / 12:46 PM EST

Fire contained at fuel storage station in Abu Dhabi

Mirna Alsharif

A fire ignited at a fuel storage station in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, today after it was targeted by a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.

The fire at the Musaffah fuel tank terminal was "promptly contained," the media office said.

"No injuries were reported and there was no impact on operations," according to the agency.

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1d ago / 12:41 PM EST

U.S. Central Command says U.S. B-1 bombers 'struck deep inside Iran'

Minyvonne Burke

U.S. Central Command said in a post on X that last night, U.S. B-1 bombers "struck deep inside Iran to degrade Iranian ballistic missile capabilities."

"As the President stated, 'we’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,'" Central Command said.

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1d ago / 12:30 PM EST

They flew to Dubai for a romantic anniversary getaway. Then the bombing started.

+2

Keir Simmons, Shira Pinson  and Sara Monetta

Reporting from Dubai

It was supposed to be a romantic getaway for Sarah Mettee and her husband, a warm winter break in Dubai away from their three young children to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.

Instead of relaxing in the sunshine, Mettee told NBC News on Monday, they had “seen and heard a lot of rockets,” some of which had been “intercepted right outside of our hotel,” and called it “terrifying.” NBC News agreed not to name the hotel over fears it could be targeted because there are a lot of American tourists staying there.

Now, like hundreds of thousands of travelers across the Middle East, Mettee is stranded in the region. Flights have been grounded after Iran retaliated with strikes on many of its neighbors, including the United Arab Emirates, after the United States and Israel bombarded the Islamic Republic, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“We were really looking forward to this trip,” she said Tuesday at her hotel, adding that it was “not cheap and something we’ve never done before, just the two of us.” 

Read the full story here.

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1d ago / 12:05 PM EST

UAE Defense Ministry says air defenses intercepted 9 ballistic missiles and 148 drones

Minyvonne Burke

The United Arab Emirates’ air defenses intercepted nine ballistic missiles, six cruise missiles and 148 drones, its Defense Ministry said in a post on X.

“The Ministry affirmed that the sounds heard in various parts of the country are the result of air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles and fighter jets intercepting drones and cruise missiles,” the ministry said. “These interceptions led to minor to moderate material damage to a number of civilian properties.”

Since the beginning of the attack, 174 ballistic missiles launched toward the country have been detected, the post said. Over 160 were destroyed and 13 fell into the sea. According to the ministry, 689 Iranian drones were also detected, with 645 intercepted. The post said that 44 of the drones landed within the country’s territory.

The ministry also said eight cruise missiles were detected and destroyed, which caused some “collateral damage.”

“The incidents resulted in 3 fatalities and 68 minor injuries,” the ministry said.

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1d ago / 12:04 PM EST

Trump on Iran operations timeline: 'Whatever the time is, it's OK'

Megan Lebowitz

In remarks on Iran at the White House, Trump addressed a potential timeline for continued operations in the country, saying, "Whatever the time is, it's OK."

"We're already substantially ahead of our time projections," Trump said. "But whatever the time is, it's OK. Whatever it takes, we will always, and we have, right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that. We'll do it."

Trump said someone thought he would get bored of the operation, but he added, "I don't get bored."

"There's nothing boring about this," Trump said.

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1d ago / 12:02 PM EST

IDF says it struck over 70 Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in Lebanon

Yarden Segev and Mirna Alsharif

The Israel Defense Forces said it struck over 70 weapons storage facilities belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon today.

The targeted areas included launch sites and missile launchers belonging to the group, the IDF said.

NBC News has not independently verified the IDF's report.

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1d ago / 12:01 PM EST

In the middle of remarks on Iran, Trump touts White House ballroom construction

Rebecca Shabad

As Trump delivered remarks at the White House about the U.S. operation against Iran, Trump touted the construction of his ballroom.

"We're adding onto the building a little bit," Trump said. "We're improving the building. See that nice drape — when that comes down, right now, you see a very, very deep hole, but in about a year and a half from now, you're going to see a very, very beautiful building."

"I believe it's going to be the most beautiful ballroom anywhere in the world," the president added.

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1d ago / 12:01 PM EST

U.N. agencies warn against attacks on schools

Mirna Alsharif

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) expressed concern after a reported deadly strike on a girls school in southern Iran.

The Saturday attack killed over 160 students, teachers and parents, and injured 95 others, according to state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

The site of a strike on a girls school in Minab, Iran, on Saturday.  Ali Najafi / AFP - Getty Images

UNESCO said it is “deeply alarmed” by the impact the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East has had on “educational institutions, students, and education personnel.”

Reporting inside of Iran is highly controlled and NBC News was not able to confirm IRNA’s account or determine who may have hit the school.

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1d ago / 11:59 AM EST

Trump says the U.S. continues 'large-scale' operations in Iran

Megan Lebowitz

Trump said in remarks at the White House that the U.S. is continuing to carry out “large-scale” operations in Iran in order to eliminate the “grave threats” that the regime posed to America.

Speaking to attendees at a Medal of Honor ceremony, the president said Iran “ignored” warnings against continuing to pursue nuclear enrichment after the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last year. Trump also pointed to a growing Iranian ballistic missile program, arguing that the programs posed threats to Americans.

“The purpose of this fast-growing missile program” was to “shield” the nuclear development program and make it difficult for others to stop it, he said.

A Tomahawk missile fires yesterday from USS Thomas Hudner in support of Operation Epic Fury. U.S. Navy via AFP - Getty Images

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1d ago / 11:58 AM EST

Trump blames Obama for the Iranian nuclear deal he withdrew from

Rebecca Shabad

Trump blamed former President Barack Obama for the deal reached under his administration to curb Iran's nuclear program.

"I was very proud to have knocked out the Iran nuclear deal by President Barack Hussein Obama," Trump said in remarks at the White House.

"That was a horrible, horrible, dangerous document. They would have had nuclear weapons three years ago, and they would have used them," Trump said, adding that he didn't allow that to happen.

Trump withdrew from the agreement during his first term as president in 2018.

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1d ago / 11:48 AM EST

Trump to address Iran operation at the White House

Megan Lebowitz

Trump has arrived at a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House, where the president is expected to address the U.S. and Israeli military operation in Iran.

President Donald Trump arrives for a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House today. Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images

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1d ago / 11:44 AM EST

Iran will want to inflict a high cost on the U.S., expert says

Henry Austin

Tehran is not looking for an immediate ceasefire and has rejected outreach from Trump because the regime believes it made a mistake when it agreed to a truce in June’s 12-day war, a leading expert on Iran says. 

“It appears difficult for Tehran to agree to it until the cost to the U.S. has become much higher than it currently is,” said Trita Parsi, the executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington-based think tank. 

Were it to agree to a truce now, he said during a briefing today, the regime would calculate that the U.S. “will restart the war at a later point.” 

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1d ago / 11:41 AM EST

Iran’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, says country 'has prepared itself for a long war'

Minyvonne Burke

Iran’s top national security official, Ali Larijani, said the country “has prepared itself for a long war.”

A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse at the industrial area of Sharjah City in the United Arab Emirates following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai on Sunday. Altaf Qadri / AP

“As in the past 300 years, Iran did not start this war and our brave Armed Forces have not engaged in any attacks except in defense,” he said in a post on X. “We will fiercely defend ourselves and our six thousand years old civilization regardless of the costs and will make the enemies sorry for their miscalculation.”

In a separate post, he called President Donald Trump’s war aims “delusional.”

“Trump plunged the region into chaos with his ‘delusional fantasies’ and now fears more American troop casualties,” he said in a translated post. “With his delusional actions, he turned his self-made 'America First' slogan into 'Israel First' and sacrificed American soldiers for Israel’s power-hungry ambitions and with new fabrications, it is once again imposing the cost of assassinating its own character on American soldiers and families. Today, the Iranian nation is defending itself. The armed forces of Iran did not initiate the aggression.”

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1d ago / 11:27 AM EST

Qatari Ministry of Defense says it shot down 2 SU-24 aircraft from Iran

Charlene Gubash and Jamie Gray

The Qatari Ministry of Defense announced today that its air force shot down two SU-24 aircraft coming from Iran. They also intercepted seven ballistic missiles through air defenses, and five drones were intercepted by the air force and navy.

The ministry said the threat was addressed immediately upon detection and all missiles were shot down before reaching their targets. The ministry also said that the Qatari armed forces have full capabilities and resources to safeguard the state’s sovereignty and lands and respond firmly to any external threat. 

“The Ministry also urges citizens, residents, and visitors to remain calm, adhere to official instructions issued by the security authorities, avoid rumors, and rely solely on information released through official channels,” its statement read.

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1d ago / 11:16 AM EST

Iran says its nuclear enrichment site was targeted; U.N. agency says no sign of any hit

The Associated Press

Iran’s ambassador to the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog alleged that U.S.-Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site.

Israel and the U.S. have not acknowledged strikes at the site, which American forces bombed last June.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said, however, that his agency stands by its assessment that there is no indication Iran’s nuclear facilities were damaged or hit. So far the agency has seen nothing comparable to the attacks in June, Grossi told a news conference.

Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA, Reza Najafi, told journalists earlier that he condemned what he called the “unlawful, criminal and brutal” attacks by the U.S. and Israel against Iran.

“Again they attacked Iran’s peaceful safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday,” he said. “Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie.”

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1d ago / 11:10 AM EST

Trump doesn't rule out sending U.S. troops into Iran if 'necessary'

Rebecca Shabad

Trump told the New York Post in an interview this morning that he isn't ruling out deploying ground troops into Iran.

“I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground — like every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it,” Trump told the Post after launching the attack on Iran early Saturday. “I say ‘probably don’t need them,’ [or] ‘if they were necessary.’”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth didn't rule out ground troops either during his morning news conference at the Pentagon, saying he wouldn't engage in hypotheticals.

NBC News has reached out to the White House for comment.

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1d ago / 11:08 AM EST

NYC police continues enhanced patrols at 'sensitive locations'

Emma Butts

The NYPD said today that it is continuing "enhanced high-visibility patrols" at "sensitive locations" across the city "due to the heightened threat environment and out of an abundance of caution" regarding the situation in the Middle East and the mass shooting in Austin, Texas.

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1d ago / 11:07 AM EST

Beirut residents tell NBC News they are sick and tired of war

Daniele Hamamdjian

Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon

We're at a parking lot in central Beirut where some residents of the Dayhieh neighborhood — a Hezbollah stronghold — have traveled to seek refuge since the early morning.

There are cars packed with belongings, mattresses packed on car roofs, kids running around and people sleeping on blankets as Israel strikes the Lebanese capital in its growing exchange with the Iran-backed group.

No one wanted to show their face on camera or give their names given the risks to their safety of speaking out, but they told NBC News they are sick and tired of war.

Smoke rises following Israeli bombardment on Beirut's southern suburbs today. Ibrahim Amro / AFP - Getty Images

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1d ago / 11:02 AM EST

168 killed in attack on girls school, Iranian state media reports

Mirna Alsharif

The death toll from the U.S. and Israel's attack on a girls primary school in Minab, southern Iran, has risen to 168, according to state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

The aftermath of a strike on a school in Minab, Iran, on Saturday.  Abbas Zakeri / Mehr News via Reuters

The victims include students, teachers and parents, the agency reported.

Around 95 others were injured in the Saturday attack, IRNA reported.

Reporting inside of Iran is highly controlled and NBC News was not able to confirm IRNA's account.

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1d ago / 10:58 AM EST

Israeli military says additional missiles launched from Iran; public instructed to enter protected space

Yarden Segev

Reporting from Tel Aviv

The Israel Defense Forces identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israeli territory. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.

The Home Front Command sent a precautionary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas. In the alert, the public was told to enter a protected space and remain there until further notice.

The public is asked to act responsibly and follow instructions. Leaving a protected space is only allowed after receiving explicit instructions.

The public is requested to continue acting in accordance with the Home Front Command’s guidelines.

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1d ago / 10:41 AM EST

Limited flights to and from the Middle East resume

Mirna Alsharif and Ammar Cheikh Omar

The Russian Ministry of Transport announced that it is preparing "alternative flight routes" in order to resume limited flights to the Middle East.

The ministry also said it will resume two flights from the Middle East this evening, including an Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi and an Oman Air flight from Muscat. The flights are scheduled to land at Sheremetyevo International Airport.

In the U.A.E., official sources also announced a limited resumption of flights from airports in Dubai and Sharjah starting today.

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1d ago / 10:26 AM EST

Stocks drop at the opening bell in New York

Steve Kopack

U.S. stocks dropped at the opening bell as the conflict in the Middle East continues to expand.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite dropped nearly 1% and the Dow Industrial Average declined more than 350 points.

The Russell 2000, an index that tracks smaller companies, fell 0.8%.

The price of oil continued its march higher, rising more than 6%. Natural gas traded in the U.S. also rose more than 4% after QatarEnergy said it would pause liquified natural gas production amid the conflict. Natural gas traded in Europe rocketed higher by 45% on the announcement.

A trader works at the opening bell today at the New York Stock Exchange. Charly Triballeau / AFP - Getty Images

Read more on the market reaction.

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1d ago / 10:22 AM EST

Trump to speak on Iran shortly

Elyse Perlmutter-Gumbiner

Trump is due to discuss Iran today at 11 a.m. ET from the White House.

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1d ago / 10:11 AM EST

Nowhere in Tehran feels safe

Amin Khodadadi

Reporting from Tehran

Nowhere in Tehran feels safe and the city is shrouded in smoke.

Bombs hit an area not far from my house today and nobody knows what or who will be targeted next.

Military bases and police stations — seen by Iranians as symbols of the government crackdown on protests — are being struck. But police stations are often located close to residential neighborhoods. One police station I passed last night looked like something out of doomsday.

I spoke to my friend Erfan today. He was near a station near Niloofar Square in Tehran when it was attacked for a second time in three days. The building was reduced to dust and residential buildings surrounding it were damaged, as well.

Men watch from a hillside as a plume of smoke rises after an explosion in Tehran today. Majid Saeedi / Getty Images

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1d ago / 9:41 AM EST

Limited resumption of flights out of Dubai amid travel chaos

Yuliya Talmazan

Good news for the travelers stranded in Dubai as a limited resumption of flights from Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport has been announced by local authorities starting tonight, with both Emirates and flydubai air lines resuming some operations.

Travelers are advised not to proceed to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by their airline with a confirmed departure time, the government of Dubai said in a statement on X.

It comes after days of travel chaos and flight cancellations amid air space restrictions caused by air strikes across the Middle East.

FlyDubai airline planes on the tarmac at Dubai International Airport today. Fadel Senna / AFP - Getty Images

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1d ago / 9:28 AM EST

600 sites dismantled in Iran, Israeli military says

Yuliya Talmazan

Approximately 600 infrastructure sites have been dismantled in Iran using 2,500 munitions, Israel Defense Forces said this morning.

The targets included “over 20 targets belonging to Iranian military leaders,” the IDF said in a statement on Telegram, as well as more than 150 surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and over 200 Iranian aerial defense systems.

Approximately 30 sites have been struck in Lebanon so far, the statement said.

NBC News could not independently verify those numbers and neither Lebanon nor Iran has not commented on the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, the IDF said Israel has called up approximately 110,000 reservists.

A plume of smoke rises from an explosion in Tehran today. Majid Saeedi / Getty Images

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1d ago / 9:18 AM EST

U.S. embassies across Middle East issue warnings to Americans

Yuliya Talmazan

U.S. embassies across the Middle East have warned Americans to be cautious or leave immediately amid escalating violence.

The American Embassy in Beirut urged U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon  while commercial flight options remain available, calling the security situation in Lebanon  ”volatile and unpredictable.”

The embassy in the capital of Bahrain, Manama, reminded Americans “to exercise caution and maintain vigilance” as it said drone and missile attacks from Iran continue. “The U.S. Embassy has advised U.S. citizens in Bahrain that hotels might be a target for attacks, and encourages U.S. citizens to avoid hotels in Manama,” it added. 

The embassy in Kuwait said there was a “continuing threat of missile and UAV attacks” as it urged Americans to not come to the embassy. “Take cover in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows. Do not go outside,” it said.

Meanwhile, the embassy in Jordan said it had “indications there may be continued missiles, drones, or rockets in Jordanian airspace in the coming days,” as it urged Americans to remain indoors and avoid exposure to falling debris.

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1d ago / 9:10 AM EST

U.S. officials offer condolences to families of American soldiers killed

Rebecca Cohen

Both Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used their addresses this morning to offer condolences to the families of four American soldiers who were killed in the Middle East this weekend.

"I want to express my deep condolences and the condolences of the joint force to the Department of War personnel killed and wounded in action," Caine said, calling the fallen soldiers heroes who "represent the best of our nation has to offer. They're true examples of what selfless service means."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine at the Pentagon today. Brendan Smialowski / AFP - Getty Images

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1d ago / 8:58 AM EST

Israel begins strikes on Hezbollah targets across Lebanon

Yuliya Talmazan

The Israel Defense Forces says it has begun striking Hezbollah "terror targets" throughout Lebanon, without elaborating.

It comes after Israel began retaliating against Hezbollah's strikes on Israel earlier today, raising fears of violence in the Middle East rapidly expanding.

Lebanon's government has sought to distance itself from Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant and political group.

Earlier, the Israeli military said a “precise strike” had killed the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters.

The attack on Hussein Makled took place in Beirut last night, the IDF said in a statement on Telegram. NBC News could not independently confirm the report.

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon today. Jalaa Marey / AFP - Getty Images

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1d ago / 8:55 AM EST

Millions of foreign workers at risk as Iran strikes Gulf states

Jennifer Jett

Millions of foreign workers in Israel and the Gulf are at risk as Iran retaliates for the U.S.-Israeli attack that killed its supreme leader.

The United Arab Emirates has reported three deaths after Iran launched strikes on U.S. allies in the Gulf: one from Pakistan, one from Nepal and one from Bangladesh. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said yesterday that a Filipino woman working as a caregiver in Tel Aviv was also killed by shrapnel as she tried to bring her ward to a bomb shelter.

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1d ago / 8:44 AM EST

Pete Hegseth does not rule out boots on the ground

Megan Lebowitz

Asked whether U.S. boots are on the ground, Hegseth said no, but said he would not lay out what the U.S. could do as the operation continues.

Hegseth said that Trump ensures that the country's enemies know that the U.S. will go as far as it needs to in order to advance the U.S.' interests.

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1d ago / 8:43 AM EST

NBC News reports from Israeli town where Iranian missile strike killed at least 9

Richard Engel

Reporting from Beit Shemesh

We are here in the town of Beit Shemesh, outside Jerusalem, in a residential area that took a direct hit by an Iranian ballistic missile, killing at least nine people and wounding 28 others.

Iran's retaliation across the region is growing this morning, and we are also learning more about the first American casualties of this war and U.S. aircraft that were shot down in a friendly fire incident in Kuwait.

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1d ago / 8:35 AM EST

Gen. Dan Caine says the strikes led to 'local air superiority'

Megan Lebowitz

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said that the U.S. and Israeli strikes resulted in "local air superiority."

He said that the air superiority would help better protect U.S. forces and allow them to continue their work.

Caine also said that U.S. cyber and space operations have "continuously layered effects to disrupt disorient and confuse the enemy."

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1d ago / 8:34 AM EST

Trump gave order for the operation day before strike launched

Rebecca Cohen

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the president gave the “go order” for the operation Friday at 3:38 p.m. ET.

He said CENTCOM heard the order from Trump via the secretary of war.

"Operation Epic Fury is approved. No aborts. Good luck," Trump said, according to Caine.

The operation then launched at 9:45 a.m. local time Saturday.

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1d ago / 8:23 AM EST

Gen. Dan Caine says 'we expect to take additional losses'

Megan Lebowitz

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said that the U.S. expects "additional losses." His comments come after four U.S. service members were killed.

"This not a single overnight operation," he told reporters during the briefing. "The objectives CENTCOM has been tasked with will be difficult and gritty work. We expect to take additional losses."

His message aligns with Trump's remarks that appeared to be preparing Americans for the possibility of more service members killed as the operation continues unfolding. Trump said in a video posted on Truth Social yesterday that "there will likely be more before it ends."

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1d ago / 8:13 AM EST

Pete Hegseth says U.S. is 'finishing' a war with Iran

Rebecca Cohen

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke this morning on the sprawling war in the Middle East, which kicked off Saturday with joint U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Hegseth said that for "47 long years," the regime in Iran has "waged a savage, one sided war against America," prompting the U.S. to take action nearly half a century later.

"We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it," Hegseth said.

Hegseth added that Trump has reminded the world that "being an American means something unbreakable."

"If you kill Americans, if you threaten Americans anywhere on Earth, we will hunt you down without apology and without hesitation, and we will kill you," Hegseth said.

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1d ago / 8:12 AM EST

Pete Hegseth says 'this is not a so-called regime change war'

Megan Lebowitz

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth laid out the administration's rationale for striking Iran, alleging in a press briefing this morning that "Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions."

Trump has also previously pointed to Iran's nuclear ambitions in explaining why he wanted the U.S. to strike Iran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference on U.S. military action in Iran, at the Pentagon today. Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images

Hegseth also argued that this war wasn't about regime change.

"This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it," Hegseth said.

Trump has called for Iranians to "take over" the government.

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1d ago / 8:01 AM EST

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to give briefing on Iran attack

Patrick Smith and Julie Tsirkin

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, are due to give an update shortly.

It's their first since the U.S. and Israel launched their joint attack on Iran.

Key congressional staff were briefed on the operation yesterday by Pentagon officials, who said there was no intelligence to suggest Iran was planning to strike U.S. forces, one person with direct knowledge told NBC News. This runs counter to a briefing from senior administration officials to reporters Saturday.

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1d ago / 7:53 AM EST

Qatar halts liquified natural gas production after attacks on facilities

Steve Kopack

QatarEnergy, which is Qatar's state-run energy company, says it is halting liquified natural gas production "due to military attacks" on its facilities.

The news immediately jolted markets. Natural gas futures traded in Europe surged more than 40% on the announcement. U.S. natural gas prices also ticked up and were trading higher by around 5.2%.

Qatar is the world's second largest LNG exporter and producer, after only the United States. Shutting off so much output just two days into the U.S. conflict with Iran will continue to raise fears about what it means overall for the world's energy supply.

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1d ago / 7:50 AM EST

Iran attack could push North Korea's Kim to meet with Trump, experts say

Jennifer Jett and Stella Kim

The U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran could give Kim Jong Un more incentive to meet with Trump, experts said, even as it reinforces the North Korean leader’s nuclear ambitions.

For Kim, the attack underscores the importance of his nuclear arsenal as a deterrent against military action by the U.S. and its allies. The North Korean Foreign Ministry condemned the attack on Iran as “an illegal act of aggression and the most despicable form of violation of sovereignty.”

Trump justified the attack by citing the nuclear threat from Iran. But North Korea is far ahead of Iran in developing nuclear weapons, with an estimated 50 warheads already assembled and enough fissile material to produce up to 40 more, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

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1d ago / 7:36 AM EST

Fourth U.S. service member dies from injuries sustained in Iran attack, CENTCOM says

Patrick Smith

A fourth U.S. service member has died as part of the operation against Iran, the military said this morning.

CENTCOM said the fourth service member was seriously wounded in Iran's initial attacks and "eventually succumbed to their injuries."

The Pentagon said yesterday that three service members were killed and five attacked during Operation Epic Fury.

None of the killed or injured will be identified until 24 hours after their families have been informed. The three confirmed dead yesterday were part of an Army sustainment unit based in Kuwait, according to two U.S. officials.

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1d ago / 7:21 AM EST

Oil prices soar and stocks tumble

Steve Kopack

The price of oil is soaring, with both U.S. and international benchmarks trading higher by more than 8% after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. This will likely mean higher gas prices starting as soon as today for U.S. consumers.

Natural gas prices also jumped by more than 4%.

Meanwhile, stocks are tumbling. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures fell more than 1%, while the Stoxx Europe 600 index dropped 1.2%

The price of gold also rose more than 3% as investors moved into "safe haven" assets amid the conflict.

Read more on the market reaction here.

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1d ago / 7:14 AM EST

Iranian attacks targeted civilian infrastructure in Qatar, including airport, spokesperson says

Reuters

Qatar has intercepted Iranian attacks that targeted civilian infrastructure, including the international airport, the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson told CNN today, adding that such attacks could not remain unanswered.

Majed Al Ansari also said that Qatar was not engaging with Iran at the moment.

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1d ago / 6:57 AM EST

Lebanon bans Hezbollah military activities 

Yuliya Talmazan

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has announced a ban on all security and military activities by Iran-backed Hezbollah after the group fired missiles at Israel, which launched attacks on Lebanon in response.

In a statement, Salam said Hezbollah’s military activities were “illegal,” calling for the group “to surrender its weapons to the Lebanese state and confine its activities to the political sphere within constitutional and legal frameworks, thereby enshrining the state’s monopoly on the use of force.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam in Beirut in December. Bilal Hussein / AP

The Lebanese state, Salam said, declares its “absolute and unequivocal rejection of any military or security actions launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of its legitimate institutions,” adding that decisions on war and peace rests exclusively with the state.

Salam said the country’s military and security agencies will take measures to prevent any military operation, missile launch or drone attack from Lebanese territory, and to detain violators.

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1d ago / 6:42 AM EST

Some IRGC units lose touch with leadership and so are working autonomously

Keir Simmons and Natasha Lebedeva

Reporting from Dubai and Washington

A former commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard corps we spoke to this morning told us that some units of the powerful militia are acting autonomously after losing contact with leadership.

"If you cannot contact directly to the base and headquarters, you can use the forces against the enemy according your decision," Hossein Kanani Moghadam told NBC News by video call from Tehran.

"So some IRGC units are firing missiles without contact with the leadership. They are just using strategy they’ve been given," added Moghadam, who maintains close links with the Iranian government.

While this dynamic raises fears that the war will spiral, he says targeting the territory of neighboring countries is part of Iran’s strategy. 

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1d ago / 6:40 AM EST

Travel nightmare growing for those stranded by strikes

Yuliya Talmazan

Travel chaos caused by the spiraling war in the Middle East continues to grow, as flight cancellations pile up and travelers find themselves stranded amid air space closures. 

Airports, including a major connecting hub in Dubai, have been targeted by Iranian strikes in recent days, affecting their operations. All flight operations at Dubai International remain suspended "until further notice," while Hamad International Airport in Doha also remains closed due to the temporary closure of Qatari airspace.

Major airlines were suspending flights for days to come.

Emirates planes parked on the tarmac at Dubai International Airport today. Fadel Senna / AFP via Getty Images

Emirates has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai, until at least tomorrow afternoon local time, while German airline Lufthansa said it has suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam and Tehran until Sunday as The Associated Press reported about 30,000 German tourists are currently stuck on cruise ships, in hotels or at closed airports in the Middle East and cannot get back home because of the conflict.

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1d ago / 6:34 AM EST

Oil tanker attacked in the Gulf of Oman, killing one crew member 

Yuliya Talmazan and Charlene Gubash

An oil tanker was targeted by an unmanned boat in the Gulf of Oman, northwest of Sultan Qaboos Port, Oman's Maritime Security Center said in a statement on X.

It said the tanker’s crew of 21 people had to be evacuated after a fire broke out on board, but one Indian crew member was killed by an explosion in the engine room. 

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MKD YOM was carrying approximately 59,463 metric tons of cargo, the center said. 

A Royal Navy of Oman vessel is monitoring the condition of the damaged tanker and is issuing necessary warnings to vessels transiting the same maritime area, it added.

It comes amid tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, which Iran warned vessels not to travel though in light of U.S.-Israeli strikes, and concerns about elevated security risk for commercial vessels in the region.

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1d ago / 6:14 AM EST

U.S. military says three F-15 jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwait

Courtney Kube and Patrick Smith

The Pentagon said this morning that "apparent friendly fire" brought down three U.S. fighter jets over Kuwait during Operation Epic Fury, confirming an earlier report from the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry.

CENTCOM said that three F-15D Strike Eagle planes were mistakenly shot down by Kuwait's air defense systems.

A pilot descends from the sky with a parachute near al-Jahra in Kuwait after three U.S. warplanes were mistakenly shot down by Kuwait air defense according to the U.S. Central Command. via AFP - Getty Images

"During active combat — that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses," it said.

"All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition," the Pentagon said. "Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation."

CENTCOM added that the cause of the incident was under investigation and that more information would be released in future.

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1d ago / 6:13 AM EST

Israel launches offensive against Hezbollah, targets chief ‘for elimination’ 

Yuliya Talmazan and Omer Bekin

In a sign of conflict spreading across the Middle East, Israel announced this morning that it has launched an offensive against Hezbollah, the militant Iranian proxy group in Lebanon, in response to the group launching missiles at Israel in retaliation for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s killing. 

The Israeli army reported later this morning it has “precisely struck a senior Hezbollah terrorist in Beirut,” without elaborating.

The Israeli army’s chief of the general staff, Eyal Zamir, said earlier that Israel “must prepare for many prolonged days of combat ahead.”

Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, today. Hassan Ammar / AP

An apartment building that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburb, Lebanon, today. Hussein Malla / AP

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Hezbollah will pay a “heavy price” for attacking Israel.

“Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, who decided on the firing under pressure from Iran — is from this moment a marked target for elimination,” Katz said in a statement on X. “Whoever follows the path of Khamenei will soon find himself alongside him in the depths of hell, together with all those eliminated from the axis of evil,” he added.

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1d ago / 6:01 AM EST

Pakistan deploys troops and imposes 3-day curfew after deadly protests

The Associated Press

Reporting from Islamabad

Pakistani authorities deployed troops and imposed a three-day curfew before dawn today in the northern cities of Gilgit and Skardu after several people died and dozens were injured in violent protests following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes, officials said.

Thousands of Shia demonstrators yesterday attacked the offices of the U.N. Military Observer Group, which monitors the ceasefire along the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, and the U.N. Development Programme in the city of Skardu. Protesters also burned a police station and damaged a school and the offices of a local charity in Gilgit, according to officials. At least 12 people were killed and 80 others injured, police in the Gilgit-Baltistan region said.

An armored vehicle set on fire by Shia Muslim protesters outside the U.S. Consulate in Karachi yesterday. AFP via Getty Images

Demonstrators in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi also stormed the U.S. Consulate yesterday, smashing windows and attempting to burn the building. Police responded with batons, tear gas and gunfire, leaving 10 people dead and more than 50 injured. One person was also killed in clashes in Islamabad during an attempted Shia march toward the U.S. Embassy.

Read the full story here.

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1d ago / 5:58 AM EST

Photos: Civilians flee southern Lebanon

Roisín Savage

Masses of displaced people in southern Lebanon were pictured on highway links to Beirut this morning in heavy traffic, after Israeli military urged people in nearly 50 villages in eastern and southern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of possible strikes.

Displaced people fleeing sit on a pickup truck today. Mohammad Zaatari / AP

Traffic on highway links to Beirut this morning. Mohammad Zaatari / AP

A girl sits in a van as displaced families fleeing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon arrive in the southern port city of Sidon, early today. Mohammad Zaatari / AP

Displaced people fleeing Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon ride on a mini truck along a highway toward Beirut today. Mohammed Zaatari / AP

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1d ago / 5:50 AM EST

Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura refinery partially shut down after drone intercept

Yuliya Talmazan and Reuters

The Saudi Arabian Energy Ministry said the Ras Tanura refinery in the kingdom's east was partially shut down after it was targeted by two drones this morning, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

Crude oil storage tanks at the Juaymah tank farm in Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura refinery in 2017. Bloomberg / Bloomberg via Getty Images

The ministry said the refinery sustained minor damage from falling debris after the drones were intercepted, according to SPA. This caused a small fire, and no injuries or fatalities were reported, it added.

As a precautionary measure, some operational units at the refinery were shut down, but the supply of petroleum and its derivatives to local markets was not affected, SPA said.

The Ras Tanura complex houses one of the Middle East’s largest refineries with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day and serves as a critical export terminal for Saudi crude.

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1d ago / 5:42 AM EST

‘It’s like a bad dream,’ says woman who flew to Dubai to celebrate 20th wedding anniversary 

Keir Simmons and Jay Ganglani

Reporting from Dubai

DUBAI — When Sarah Mettee and her husband flew from Nashville to Dubai to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary, she never thought that they would be caught in the middle of a war. 

“I never in a million years thought this would happen,” Mettee told NBC News in Dubai. “It’s like a bad dream.”

Sarah Mettee. NBC News

Mettee was originally meant to fly from Dubai yesterday and says that she doesn’t know when she will be able to return home. 

“I just want to get home to the kids,” Mettee said. “I miss them terribly.” 

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1d ago / 5:32 AM EST

WHO calls for protection of civilians and health care facilities

Jay Ganglani

The World Health Organization has called for the protection of civilians and health care facilities in the Middle East. 

“At a time of heightened tensions, the protection of civilians and health care must be absolute,” Hanan Balkhy, WHO’s regional director for the eastern Mediterranean, wrote on X. 

“All parties must uphold international humanitarian law and ensure medical facilities remain protected,” Balkhy added. 

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2d ago / 5:22 AM EST

Picture shows smoke rising from U.S. Embassy in Kuwait

Roisín Savage

Black smoke was seen rising from the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City today, according to an image from the AFP news agency.

Neither the embassy nor the Pentagon have commented.

AFP via Getty Images

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2d ago / 5:08 AM EST

Oil surges 9% as Iran conflict disrupts Middle Eastern flows

Reuters

SINGAPORE/LONDON — Oil surged 9% today after retaliatory Iranian attacks disrupted shipping in the crucial Strait of Hormuz following the weekend’s bombing by Israel and the United States that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

A sustained jump in prices would threaten a global economic recovery, spur inflation and could push up U.S. retail gasoline prices, a risky result for President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections this November.

The price surge on the restart of trading after the weekend, however, was less than some analyst predictions.

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2d ago / 4:55 AM EST

Drone buzzes over Beirut as gunfire wakes residents to warn of Israeli strikes

Daniele Hamamdjian and Marc Smith

Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon

The distinct buzz of a drone could be heard above the Lebanese capital this morning after residents were woken by gunfire to warn them of incoming Israeli strikes.

Local producer Roger Hanna, 53, who lives in the city, told NBC News that he was woken by shots just minutes before air strikes began, coming in three waves.

People inspect a damaged building after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb neighborhood of Haret Hreik today. Ibrahim Amro / AFP via Getty Images

Debris surrounding a building damaged after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb neighborhood of Haret Hreik today. AFP via Getty Images

He said he could feel his windows shaking in the intense noise and his three teenage children were scared. He said he told them: "The war is starting."

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2d ago / 4:37 AM EST

U.S. plane crashed inside Kuwait, video shows

Caroline Radnofsky

At least one U.S. warplane crashed inside Kuwait, NBC News analysis has shown.

A video captured on the western edge of Al Jahra in Kuwait, near the Ali Al-Salem Air Base and posted to Telegram, showed a plane falling straight down and spinning to the ground.

Earlier, the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry said several American warplanes crashed with all crew members surviving.

A Pentagon spokesperson said: “We do not have anything additional to share beyond the info on the CENTCOM and SecWar X pages at this time.” 

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2d ago / 4:34 AM EST

Jerusalem hit by Iranian strike

Roisín Savage

Drone footage from last night shows emergency services responding to an Iranian missile strike on a road in Jerusalem, which created a large crater in the ground.

Ilan Rosenberg / Reuters

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2d ago / 4:20 AM EST

Former Revolutionary Guard commander tells NBC News strikes will continue across the Middle East

Keir Simmons and Natasha Lebedeva

Reporting from Dubai, U.A.E

We just reached a former commander for Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard who is in Tehran and still has close links to the government. As the war spreads across the region, he warns there will be more strikes. 

“I know that we are, at this time, ready for more attacks by missiles and drone against the bases of Israel and United States” Hossein Kanani Moghadam told NBC News by video call. “We have a very good situation and equipment and logistic at this time for the defense of the Iran,” he said.

Despite the onslaught Iran is undergoing, he insists, “At this time everything is stable… and we haven’t had, this time, any security problem.”

We asked him about the prospect of replacing Iran’s supreme leader, with the IRGC likely to play an influential role moving forward. “It is very easy for the country to select the new supreme leader,” he says, because there are many "suitable" candidates.

He rejects Trump’s assertion that many who might have replaced Ayatollah Khamenei are also dead. 

“This is a propaganda of Trump," he said. "No, this is not right.”

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2d ago / 4:18 AM EST

Iran's Red Crescent says 555 killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes

Yuliya Talmazan

Iran's Red Crescent said 555 people have been killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes since the beginning of the war Saturday, state-run news agency IRNA reported.

The casualties are from more than 130 cities across Iran, the agency said.

Smoke rises as a series of explosions are heard in Tehran, Iran, yesterday. Fatemeh Bahrami / Anadolu via Getty Images

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2d ago / 4:18 AM EST

Millions in Iran without internet access for more than 48 hours

Jay Ganglani

Millions of people in Iran have been left without access to the internet for more than 48 hours, according to cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks. 

This isn’t the first time that an internet shutdown has taken place in Iran this year, with a nationwide crackdown lasting for several weeks during anti-government protests in January.

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2d ago / 4:01 AM EST

U.S. military releases video of strikes on Iranian targets

Will Clark

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2d ago / 3:49 AM EST

'Blatant killing' of Khamenei is 'unacceptable,' Chinese foreign minister says

Jennifer Jett and Erin Tan

Reporting from Hong Kong

China’s foreign minister criticized the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, as “unacceptable” in a call with his Russian counterpart.

“The blatant killing of a sovereign leader and the incitement of regime change are unacceptable,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in a call yesterday. “These actions violate international law and the basic norms of international relations.” 

People mourn the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran yesterday. Atta Kenare / AFP - Getty Images

China, which has close ties to Iran, says it is “deeply concerned” about the escalation and spillover of tensions in the Middle East, as Iran strikes Gulf countries that host U.S. military bases in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli attacks. At a news briefing today, the Chinese Foreign Ministry again urged all parties to stop military actions and resume dialogue.

A Chinese national was killed in Tehran during the attack on Iran, spokesperson Mao Ning said, and more than 3,000 Chinese nationals have been evacuated from the country.

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2d ago / 3:38 AM EST

Recent protests swept Iran after crackdown on unrest

Chantal Da Silva

Protests had re-emerged across Iran in recent weeks after a deadly crackdown on unrest.

Student-led protests had been reported outside universities in the Islamic Republic in mid-February, with video circulating on social media and verified by NBC News appearing to show large crowds of demonstrators rallying outside institutions, including the Amir Kabir University of Technology in Tehran.

The fresh protests come on the heels of sweeping anti-government demonstrations last month in which rights groups say thousands of people were killed under a brutal crackdown on the nationwide unrest.

U.S. threats of military action on Iran had grown in the wake of those demonstrations, which marked the biggest flare-up of domestic unrest since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

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2d ago / 3:23 AM EST

3 U.S. service members killed in Iran military operation

Courtney Kube

U.S. officials say three American service members were killed in action in Kuwait in the military operation against Iran. Five others were seriously injured. The troops were part of a sustained unit in Kuwait. 

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2d ago / 2:53 AM EST

Iran won’t negotiate with U.S., country’s National Security Council secretary says

NBC News

Iran will not negotiate with the U.S., the secretary of the country’s Supreme National Security Council said.

Ali Larijani made the comments on X apparently in response to previous Wall Street Journal reporting, citing Arab and U.S. officials, that he had made a push through mediators to resume nuclear talks with the U.S.

Trump earlier told NBC News that Iranian officials were interested in continuing talks with the U.S.

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2d ago / 2:52 AM EST

U.K. defends letting U.S. use its air bases after Cyprus strike

Patrick Smith

LONDON — The United Kingdom's foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, has defended an agreement to allow the American military to use British air bases to strike Iranian ballistic missile sites.

Her comments come after the runway of a Royal Air Force air base in Cyprus was struck by an Iranian drone strike last night — Britain released few details of the strike but said there were no injuries. Families living at the base have been moved to another site on the island.

RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, in 2024. MoD Crown via Getty Images file

Last night, Prime Minister Keir Starmer granted a request from the Pentagon for U.S. forces to use British bases on Cyprus and Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean.

“I’ve spoken to foreign ministers across the Gulf who were frankly shocked and horrified at the way their countries were targeted by Iran over the weekend,” Cooper told Sky News this morning.

“This is a deeply malign regime that is posing a direct threat to our partners in the region and to British citizens who are currently sheltering in place and in hotels and that’s why we’re supporting this limited defensive action.”

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2d ago / 2:52 AM EST

Several U.S. warplanes have crashed, Kuwait says

Patrick Smith

The Kuwaiti Defense Ministry said today that "several U.S. warplanes crashed this morning," but all crew members survived.

A statement posted to X by the Kuwaiti army said the ministry "immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment." The condition of the personnel was "stable."

The ministry said it was in contact with U.S. forces and that an official investigation was underway.

A Pentagon spokesperson said: “We do not have anything additional to share beyond the info on the CENTCOM and SecWar X pages at this time.” 

ATTACHMENT “H” – FROM AL JAZEERA

Iran live news: Trump says new leadership hit as Israel targets Lebanon

By Brian Osgood

Published On 3 Mar 20263 Mar 2026

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· Israeli and US forces continue their assault on Iran as US President Trump says the new leadership in Tehran has been targeted with the death toll in the country rising to 787 people.

· The Israeli army intensifies air attacks on Lebanon and launches a new ground incursion into the country’s south vowing to destroy Hezbollah.

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· 10m ago

 (22:50 GMT)

Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia ‘completely unacceptable’: UK

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has slammed Iranian attacks targeting the Saudi capital Riyadh after the US embassy was hit earlier.

“Iranian strikes on Riyadh, including on the US embassy, are completely unacceptable. We condemn these reckless and destabilising attacks that target innocent civilians,” Cooper said on social media.

“We stand with Saudi Arabia and our others partners across the region in the face of these attacks.”

 (22:40 GMT)

Tehran reels from heavy bombardment

By Tohid Asadi

Reporting from Tehran

This is the fourth night since the initiation of the American and Israeli strikes, and the scene here in the capital was dominated by the sound of airplanes and massive explosions across the city and the smell of smoke drfiting in the air. This is very massive, and this is heavier bombardment compared to the first days of the initiation of these strikes.

There are growing concerns about the fatalities, especially among civilians. I was downtown earlier in the evening, and one of the police stations near Enqelab Square, which is one of the most important places in the capital, politically speaking, was targeting in a very massive way.

And we have been receiving different reports from different cities across the country, small and big, including Isfahan and elsewhere, that this wave of strikes continue. Right now, I can say that escalation is the name of the game that we see here.

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· 30m ago

 (22:30 GMT)

Drone downed near Baghdad airport as Iraq attacked by Iran

A drone has been shot down near the Baghdad airport with no damage or injuries reported, according to the Iraqi News Agency.

Meanwhile, Associated Press journalists reported explosions and smoke rising but no casualties after a new wave of drone and missile attacks was intercepted over Irbil, capital of northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

Multiple drones targeted areas around the US consulate building on Tuesday but did not hit it directly.

Debris from the intercepted drones caused fires and property damage.

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· 40m ago

 (22:20 GMT)

Trump says US military to escort ships through besieged Gulf

President Trump said in post on Truth Social the US Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible”.

“No matter what the United States will ensure the free flow of energy to the world,” he said. “The United States’ economic and military might is the greatest on Earth – more actions to come.”

The price of oil has shot up by more than 15 percent since the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran that started a war with Iran three days ago.

Costs are expected to rise even higher as oil supplies decrease as a result of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz as well as attacks on energy installations throughout the Gulf.

Why is Iran striking Gulf Arab countries so hard?

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· 50m ago

 (22:10 GMT)

Bahrain ‘successfully’ intercepted 74 missiles, 92 drones since Saturday

The Gulf kingdom has successfully destroyed 74 missiles and 92 drones since Iran began launching attacks on targets throughout the Middle East, Bahrain’s military says.

It didn’t give a figure for failed interceptions.

“The General Command states that the use of ballistic missiles and drones to target civilian infrastructure and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality,” an update shared on social media reads.

“These indiscriminate and heinous attacks represent a direct threat to regional peace and security.”

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· 1h ago

 (22:00 GMT)

Israeli army says dismantled 300 Iranian missile launchers since Saturday

Attacks have disabled about 300 missile launchers in Iran since the US and Israel launched a war on the country over the weekend, the Israeli military says.

“Since the start of Operation ‘Roaring Lion’, the Israeli air force has dismantled approximately 300 Iranian missile launchers,” a statement said.

“This is the result of more than 1,600 sorties and a systematic, around-the-clock effort to locate and target launchers and missile stockpiles in order to reduce fire toward the Israeli home front.”

Iran’s missile capabilities against Israel ‘significantly degraded’, analyst says

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· 1h ago

 (21:50 GMT)

UAE says it was targeted by 1,000 attacks from Iran

The United Arab Emirates says it sustained more than 1,000 attacks launched by Iran, exceeding the combined total of strikes suffered by all other targeted Gulf countries.

The UAE has not made a decision to change its defensive posture during Iran’s attacks, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that the country reserves the “right to defend itself”.

The UAE also said it has not participated in the US-Israeli war on Iran or permitted the use of its territory, territorial waters, or airspace in any attack.

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· 1h ago

 (21:41 GMT)

Qatar arrests two cells working for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

Qatar’s security agencies have arrested two cells of operatives associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the Qatar News Agency reports.

These are the first known arrests of the kind in Qatar since Israel and the US launched their bombing campaign against Iran on Saturday, and since Iran responded by attacking its Gulf neighbours with missiles and drones.

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· 1h ago

 (21:40 GMT)

Israeli army says struck ‘covert underground’ nuclear site in Iran

The Israeli military has announced it struck an underground nuclear site in Iran, where it said scientists were “covertly” developing a key component for an atomic weapon.

“The [military] intelligence continued to follow the scientists’ activities and located their new location at this site in a manner that enabled a precise strike on the covert underground compound,” it said, displaying a map showing the facility on the western outskirts of Tehran.

At the site, “a group of nuclear scientists operated covertly to develop a key component for nuclear weapons”.

The scientists had been working at the underground location since Israel and the US struck several Iranian nuclear sites during their previous war in June, it said.

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· 1h ago

 (21:31 GMT)

Qatar says ballistic missile struck Al Udeid airbase, no casualties reported

Qatar says it was targeted by two ballistic missiles launched from Iran, one of which was intercepted while another hit the Al Udeid airbase, which hosts US forces.

The Defence Ministry announcement comes after a series of blasts were heard near the capital Doha several hours ago.

“Our armed forces possess full capabilities to protect and preserve the sovereignty of the state and its territory, and to firmly confront any threat,” it said in a statement.

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· 1h ago

 (21:30 GMT)

US embassy in Iraq says citizens should depart as soon as possible

The US embassy in the Iraqi capital says Americans should leave the country immediately and urged against travel to Iraq “for any reason”.

“US citizens are advised against traveling to Iraq for any reason. US citizens currently in Iraq are strongly encouraged to depart as soon as possible when it is safe to do so, and to shelter in place until safe departure conditions are available,” the embassy said in a social media post.

“Iraqi officials may close and reopen the airspace at any time on short notice. Please contact your airline for the most up-to-date information on flights.”

Pro-Iran protesters previously attempted to enter the US embassy in Baghdad, and Iran-aligned militias have claimed responsibility for attacks on US facilities in the country.

Iraqis, one holding a portrait of the slain Iranian supreme leader, try to approach a bridge leading to the Green Zone where the US embassy is located in Baghdad [File: AFP]

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· 1h ago

 (21:25 GMT)

IAEA chief says no evidence Iran is building nuclear bomb

Rafael Grossi says there’s no evidence Iran is building a nuclear bomb but he noted the country’s refusal to grant International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors full access to facilities is a matter of “serious concern”.

“I have been very clear and consistent in my reports on Iran’s nuclear programme: while there has been no evidence of Iran building a nuclear bomb, its large stockpile of near-weapons grade enriched uranium and refusal to grant my inspectors full access are cause for serious concern,” Grossi said in a social media post.

“For these reasons my previous reports indicate that unless and until Iran assists the IAEA in resolving the outstanding safeguards issues, the agency will not be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful.”

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· 1h ago

 (21:20 GMT)

Macron says Iran bears ‘primary responsibility’ for situation

The French president says the US and Israel violated international law when they launched an unprovoked attack on Iran over the weekend, but Tehran bears “primary responsibility” for the situation.

“The United States of America and Israel decided to launch military operations conducted outside international law, which we cannot approve of,” said Emmanuel Macron.

He nonetheless stated Iran’s “dangerous” nuclear programme, support for regional proxy groups, and shooting “its own people” meant it “bears primary responsibility” for the confrontation.

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency has said there’s no evidence Iran is making a nuclear bomb.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum [AFP]

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· 1h ago

 (21:13 GMT)

Sirens sound for third time in Jordan’s Aqaba

Sirens have gone off for a third time in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba that is located opposite of the Israeli port city of Eilat.

This comes a few hours after Jordan announced the reopening of its airspace to civilian aviation traffic.

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· 1h ago

 (21:10 GMT)

Foreign Ministry calls on Qataris overseas to register via app

Qatar has called on its citizens outside the country to register with the Foreign Ministry through an application to facilitate communication in case of emergency.

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· 1h ago

 (21:05 GMT)

Israelis stuck in Dubai amid ongoing strikes: Report

The Israeli news outlet Ynet reports hundreds of Israelis are stranded in Dubai with some expressing frustration with the government’s failure to return them home as the popular Gulf city comes under Iranian bombardment.

Israeli embassy staff evacuated from the country on a special flight, but the Israeli government has not made similar arrangements for citizens on vacation in the United Arab Emirates, the news report said.

“We have been here since Friday. Unlike all the other citizens who are stuck abroad, Dubai is in a different situation. There are missiles here, drones, and there are no alerts or alarms here,” vacationer Hila Hershkowitz, 50, was quoted as saying.

“There are a thousand civilians here who are in a war zone, and in addition to that an article was published that the UAE’s missile stockpile is about to run out – and where is the country?”

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· 2h ago

 (21:00 GMT)

Turkiye says Iran’s indiscriminate bombing is ‘wrong strategy’

Iran’s indiscriminate retaliatory attacks on targets across the Gulf states are the “wrong strategy”, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says in a televised interview with state-run TRT HABER television.

“Iran’s bombing of Arab countries without making any distinction – Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan — all of them — is, in my opinion, an incredibly wrong strategy,” said Fidan.

“It significantly increases the risk in the region. But from Iran’s own perspective as well, it is an extremely mistaken strategy.”

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· 2h ago

 (20:50 GMT)

Internet outage in Iran nears 4th consecutive day

According to the digital monitoring group NetBlocks, Iran has been offline for more than 84 hours.

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· 2h ago

 (20:43 GMT)

Israel issues displacement orders for 3 villages in southern Lebanon

A spokesperson for the Israeli military has announced additional forced displacement orders for three communities in southern Lebanon, as Israel continues to carry out heavy strikes that have killed dozens of people.

“Urgent warning to residents of southern Lebanon and specifically in the following villages: Kafr Jouz, Harouf, al-Kfour,” Arabic-language army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a social media post.

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· 2h ago

 (20:40 GMT)

Iran says fired new salvo of missiles at Israel

Iran fired another salvo of missiles at Israel this evening, the Revolutionary Guard says.

“The sixteenth wave of ‘Operation True Promise 4’ has begun with a large number of missiles and drones launched by the aerospace forces of the Revolutionary Guards against the heart of the occupied [Palestinian] territories,” a statement carried by Fars news agency said.

Israel said it launched air strikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site on Tuesday.

US President Trump said on Monday the military campaign’s four objectives are to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, wipe out its navy, prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and ensure it cannot continue to support allied armed groups.

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· 2h ago

 (20:30 GMT)

Turkish FM says Iran regime change would bring ‘risks for the region’

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says the US should limit its attacks on Iran to degrading its military capabilities, as forcing regime change would cause “risks” for the entire Middle East.

Attacking military targets and regime change were the two main options for the war, Fidan said in a televised interview with state-run TRT HABER.

“Moving toward the second [regime change] means introducing very different scenarios and risks for the region,” he said.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul [File: Burak Kara/Getty Images]

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· 2h ago

 (20:25 GMT)

Nearly 9,000 Americans evacuated from Middle East: Rubio

About 9,000 Americans have evacuated the ⁠Middle East ⁠since the ⁠start of joint ⁠US-Israeli strikes ⁠on Iran, US Secretary of ⁠State Marco Rubio says.

All US personnel were accounted for after a ⁠drone struck a ⁠parking lot ⁠adjacent to ⁠the ⁠US consulate in Dubai, Rubio added.

About 1,600 US citizens are currently requesting assistance in the region, he said.

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· 2h ago

 (20:20 GMT)

More than 44,000 travelers in the UAE to be repatriated

Tens of thousands of travellers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be repatriated in successive phases, the country’s Economy and Tourism Minister Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri says.

The first phase includes 17,498 passengers on 60 flights operated by national carriers. The second phase is set to enable more than 27,000 passengers to travel on 80 flights per day.

An Emirates passenger plane [File: Toby Melville/Reuters]

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· 2h ago

 (20:10 GMT)

Khamenei to be buried in holy city of Mashhad

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed over the weekend in US-Israeli strikes, will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad, Fars news agency reports.

Khamenei, who died at 86 after leading the country for 36 years, was originally from Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, where his father is buried at the Imam Reza shrine.

No date for the burial was disclosed.

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· 2h ago

 (20:02 GMT)

Dubai says no casualties reported in ‘drone-related incident’ near US consulate

The Dubai media office says no injuries have been reported following a “drone-related incident” around the US consulate.

“Dubai authorities have confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained,” the media office said in a social media post.

“Emergency teams responded immediately. No injuries have been reported.”

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· 3h ago

 (20:00 GMT)

Videos show smoke from near US consulate in Dubai

Videos on social media, verified by Al Jazeera, show smoke rising from the vicinity of the US consulate in Dubai following reports of an Iranian attack.

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· 3h ago

 (19:50 GMT)

Virgin Atlantic to resume London-Dubai flights

Virgin Atlantic says it plans to operate flights as scheduled between London Heathrow Airport and Dubai as airspace in the Middle East reopened to limited operations on Monday.

The airline’s statement comes after it also announced the resumption of its services between London ⁠Heathrow ⁠and Riyadh.

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· 3h ago

 (19:45 GMT)

US consulate in Dubai reportedly attacked

Smoke is seen rising from an area near the American consulate in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, the Reuters news agency reports, citing witness accounts.

Earlier, the US embassy was attacked in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. Damage was reported, but no casualties.

Iran continues to target US interests in the Middle East after Israel and the United States launched deadly attacks on Saturday.

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· 3h ago

 (19:40 GMT)

Most advanced weaponry still on the shelf, says Iran

Iran is ready for a long war against the United States and Israel and has so far not fired its most advanced weapons, its Defence Ministry says.

“We have the capacity to resist and to continue an offensive defence longer than what [the enemy] has planned for this imposed war,” ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.

“We do not intend to deploy all our advanced weapons and equipment in the first days,” he added.

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· 3h ago

 (19:30 GMT)

No easy way out for tens of thousands looking to flee the Gulf

Tens of ⁠thousands of people are stranded across the Gulf with few options for leaving a region suddenly engulfed by war.

Airspace remains closed in Qatar, where 8,000 travellers who had been in transit became marooned following the start of US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Only a limited number of flights were allowed to depart the United ⁠Arab Emirates starting from Monday, leaving tourists and some expatriates scrambling for a way out as Iran launched strikes across the Gulf.

Dubai and neighbouring Doha sit at the crossroads of east-west air travel, funnelling long-haul traffic between Europe and Asia and handling tens of thousands of passengers every day. 3h ago

 (19:25 GMT)

France sends aircraft carrier to Mediterranean, Macron says

French President Emmanuel Macron says France deployed in the recent hours Rafale fighter jets, anti-air systems and air radars for the purpose of intercepting missiles and drones.

He also confirmed Paris is sending its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle –  the flagship of the French navy – towards the Mediterranean.

He stressed France has defence agreements with Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan and Iraq and it “will show solidary”.

Macron touched upon the situation in Lebanon, where fighting between Hezbollah and Israel has resumed. He condemned the group’s attack on Israel as a “big mistake” and warned Israel against a land incursion into its northern neighbour.

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· 3h ago

 (19:20 GMT)

More on Rumaila oilfield in Iraq cutting production

We reported earlier that Iraq decreased production from ⁠the Rumaila oilfield ⁠by 700,000 barrels per day and cut 460,000 bpd from the West ⁠Qurna 2 field.

· The Rumaila oilfield is located in southern Iraq, about 50km southwest of the city of Basra.

· It was discovered in 1953 by the Basra Petroleum Company, a subsidiary of the Iraq Petroleum Company.

· The field is estimated to contain 17 billion barrels, representing 12 percent of Iraq’s total oil reserves, estimated at about 143 billion barrels.

· BP operates the Rumaila field, one of the world’s largest, in partnership with Iraq and PetroChina.

· The project was pumping more than 1.4 million barrels per day in 2024 and was at 1.2 million bpd at the beginning of last year, according to company data.

· West Qurna 2 production was just under 500,000 barrels per day.

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· 3h ago

 (19:10 GMT)

Spain baulks at Trump’s threat to cut off all trade over bases

The Spanish government has responded to US President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off all trade with Spain after Madrid refused to let the US military use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran.

“We have the necessary resources to contain the possible impact of the trade embargo by the US,” it said in a statement. “The US must comply with international law and bilateral EU-US trade agreements.”

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· 4h ago

 (19:00 GMT)

Lebanese army detains 12 Hezbollah members after rocket fire on Israel

Lebanon’s military detained 12 Hezbollah fighters as judicial authorities ordered the pursuit of those responsible for launching rockets and drones from Lebanon towards Israel, local media report.

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation said the army detained the 12 Hezbollah members at a checkpoint, without providing further details.

There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.

Al-Jadeed TV, citing unnamed security sources, said Government Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Claude Ghanem issued orders to arrest those who launched rockets and drones.

The army set up a checkpoint on the Msayleh Road in Sidon district to inspect vehicles returning to southern Lebanon, and tightened measures at the Awali checkpoint in Sidon to scrutinise cars heading south.

social media

· 4h ago

 (18:55 GMT)

Trump’s latest justification for attacking Iran

Reporting from Washington DC, Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett said Trump’s comments on the war in Iran is significant.

“This is the first time that reporters have had the opportunity to question the president, who has been, throughout the last 72 hours, giving various different arguments as to why the US combined with Israel has attacked Iran.

And the top question was whether or not Israel had forced the US’s hand.

The reason this question is being asking is because Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on Monday, said that the US took preemptive military action to avoid Iran retaliation after the US anticipated that Israel was going to strike Iran. But that’s not what Trump just said in the Oval Office. Instead, he said the US believed that Iran was in one month of a nuclear weapon, and he said that he believed they were getting ready to attack Israel. That’s why he said the US attacked first, and he now says they are being decimated.

So this is going to have a tremendous place in the US because … the US president doesn’t have the power to declare war unless there is a threat to the US. The US president has not offered any evidence of that, instead saying he anticipated Israel was going to be hit and that’s why he took military action.”

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· 4h ago

 (18:50 GMT)

UN condemns impact of US-Israel war on children across Middle East

The United Nations has condemned the violence inflicted on children during the war in the Middle East, which has seen the US and Israel launch attacks on Iran’s military and civilian infrastructure.

“The military operations in Iran and across the region are devastating and present a serious threat to children,” said the UN in a post.

“Civilians, schools and hospitals must not be attacked. Every child has a right to live free from fear.”

Iran held a mass funeral on Tuesday for 165 schoolgirls and staff killed in what it described as a US-Israeli attack on a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab.

It was the deadliest incident in the campaign against Tehran so far.

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· 4h ago

 (18:45 GMT)

Trump brushes off surge in petrol prices during Iran attack

The US president says he can live with higher oil prices for a period of time because it’s more important to remove what ⁠he said was “an imminent threat” from Iran.

Petrol prices in ⁠the United States have jumped as a result of uncertainty about oil supplies, with the conflict showing no signs of ending soon.

Trump described the war effort as successful so far against many Iranian naval and air targets. “Just about everything has been knocked out,” he said.

Iran has responded to the attack by firing missiles and drones at neighbouring Arab states and strangling shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for energy trade.

But Trump predicted Tehran will eventually lose its capability to continue lobbing missiles because of a sustained assault. “They’ve shot a lot of them, and we’re knocking out a lot,” he said. out after debris from an Iranian drone hit the Fujairah oil facility in UAE on Tuesday [Altaf Qadri/AP]

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· 4h ago

 (18:35 GMT)

UAE extends remote learning until Friday

The UAE has announced that remote learning will continue until Friday, March 6.

This measure will apply to “students, educational and administrative staff in all public and private schools and universities nationwide”, the country’s Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research said in a statement shared on social media.

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· 4h ago

 (18:32 GMT)

Israel to partially open airspace on Thursday

Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev has said that Ben-Gurion Airport will reopen on Thursday for limited incoming flights aimed at bringing home citizens stuck abroad.

Earlier today, Jordan said it would be opening its airspace. But major airspace closures and restrictions remain in place across the Middle East, with tens of thousands of passengers stranded.

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· 4h ago

 (18:30 GMT)

Kuwait condemns Iranian attack on US embassy in strongest terms

Kuwait has condemned in the “strongest terms” an Iranian attack targeting the US embassy in the country.

In a statement on X, the Kuwaiti cabinet affirmed “full solidarity” with countries that have also been targeted by Iran and “support them in the measures they take to preserve their sovereignty”.

A “limited fire” broke out earlier at the US embassy in the Saudi capital of Riyadh after it was hit by two drones.

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· 4h ago

 (18:25 GMT)

US securing military, charter flights for Middle East evacuations

The ⁠United ⁠States is securing military and charter flights to ⁠evacuate Americans from the Middle East, ⁠an unnamed US State Department official says.

The government is in contact with nearly 3,000 US citizens abroad.

In Israel, US officials are in contact with ⁠about 500 Americans seeking ⁠to leave, the department said in a separate statement. ⁠More than 130 citizens ⁠have left ⁠already and another 100 more are expected to depart on Tuesday.

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· 4h ago

 (18:20 GMT)

Iran complains to UNESCO about heritage damage from bombings

The Iranian government has formally complained to UNESCO about the impact of US and Israeli bombing on some of the country’s heritage sites, including the Golestan Palace and Tehran’s famed Grand Bazaar.

Dating back to the 16th century, the Golestan Palace was also the former court and residence of the Qajar dynasty.

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· 4h ago

 (18:15 GMT)

Israeli army says it killed commander of Lebanese Corps for Iran’s Quds Force

The Israeli army says it killed the acting commander of the Lebanese unit for Iran’s Quds Force in a strike on Tehran.

According to the military, Daoud Ali Zada was the most senior Iranian commander in charge of Iranian activities in Lebanon. The Lebanese Corps serves as a link between Hezbollah’s leadership and Iran, it added.

Iran’s Quds Force focus on special operations outside Iranian territory.

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· 4h ago

 (18:10 GMT)

President Zelenskyy holds talks with Qatar, UAE leaders

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed Iranian strikes with United ⁠Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad ⁠Al Thani.

Ukraine has great expertise in countering drones and missiles, honed over four years facing waves of Russian attacks.

“We discussed how we can help in this situation and support the protection of lives. It was agreed that our teams will work on this,” Zelenskyy said after a call with the UAE leader.

After ⁠the call with Sheikh Tamin, Zelenskyy ⁠added that the Ukrainian and Qatari teams will remain in contact to “determine how we can jointly provide greater protection to ⁠people”.

Kyiv officials say Ukraine is ready to ⁠send drone specialists to the Middle ⁠East to help down Iranian drones if its partners help to broker a ceasefire in its war with Russia. 4h ago

 (18:05 GMT)

What did Trump say?

We just heard from the US president speaking next to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Here are his main talking points on Iran:

· Asked whether Israel “forced” his hand on attacking Iran, Trump responded, “No, actually, I might have forced their hand.”

· He said the direction in which negotiations mediated by Oman were going convinced him that Iran was going to attack the US, even though US intelligence itself said there was no imminent threat.

· Trump also spoke about Reza Pahlavi – the son of the late shah, who has presented himself as an opposition figure ready to lead the country in a transition towards democracy should the Islamic Republic collapse.

· The US president, however, brushed Pahlavi off, saying someone from within the country would be a better fit.

· Trump said he expects oil prices to drop as soon as his administration’s military operations in Iran end.

· He said war with Iran unfolded “very quickly” when asked why Washington did not have an ⁠evacuation plan for ⁠US embassies and to ⁠get US ⁠citizens ⁠out of harm’s way.

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· 5h ago

 (18:00 GMT)

Merz: Iran war hurting economies; hopes it ends ‘as soon as possible’

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz voiced support for the US-Israeli war on Iran but said he hopes it ends soon because the attack is hurting the global economy.

“This is, of course, damaging our economies,” Merz told reporters as he met US President Trump at the White House.

“This is true for the oil prices and this is true for the gas prices as well. So that’s the reason why we all hope that this war will come to an end as soon as possible.” 5h ago

 (17:55 GMT)

Russian FM urges de-escalation in call with Iranian counterpart

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has urged de-escalation in the Middle East war in a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, according to Moscow’s Foreign Ministry.

Lavrov “confirmed a fundamental position in favour of de-escalating the situation and rejecting the use of force”, the ministry said.

It said Lavrov also stressed the need to “ensure the safety of the civilian population and civil infrastructure in all countries of the region”.

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· 5h ago

 (17:50 GMT)

Israeli attacks on Lebanon displace more than 58,000 in two days

Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have displaced more than 58,000 people, according to the Lebanese government’s disaster and management unit, double the amount it reported yesterday.

Strikes throughout the country have killed more than 50 people. Israel says the attacks are a response to Hezbollah rockets and drones fired into Israel to protest the US-Israeli killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader.

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· 5h ago

 (17:45 GMT)

Oman calls for immediate ceasefire, says ‘off ramps available’

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi says off-ramps are still “available” to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East.

“Oman reaffirms its call for an immediate ceasefire and a return to responsible regional diplomacy. There are off ramps available. Let’s use them,” the top diplomat said.

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· 5h ago

 (17:40 GMT)

US ‘publicly acknowledging’ it was ‘entrapped by the Israelis’

By Ali Harb

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that Israeli plans to attack Iran determined the timing of the US strikes that initiated the war.

Rubio said Washington was aware Israel was going to attack Iran, and Tehran would retaliate against US interests in the region, so US forces struck pre-emptively.

“What he’s basically publicly acknowledging would be that the United States was entrapped by the Israelis,” Kelly Grieco, senior fellow at the Stimson Center, said of Rubio’s comments.

She added the United States has “enormous sources of leverage when it comes to Israel”, referring to the billions of dollars in military aid that Washington gives to Israel annually.

“The notion that the Israelis were going to do it anyway, and so we had to do it as well – if that’s the case, then there’s a really serious conversation to be had here in the United States about US and Israeli interests, and where those are aligned and where they diverge,” Grieco told Al Jazeera. 5h ago

 (17:35 GMT)

Trump says US will cut all trade with Spain

President Trump ⁠says the United States plans ⁠cut off all trade with Spain after ⁠the European country refused to let the US military use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran.

He also chastised the United Kingdom for similar decisions.

“Spain has been terrible,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with German ⁠Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The president ⁠added he told US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “cut ⁠off all dealings” with Spain.

“We’re going ⁠to cut ⁠off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain,” said Trump.

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· 5h ago

 (17:26 GMT)

‘I might have forced Israel’s hand’ on attacking Iran: Trump

Here’s more from Trump’s media interaction at the White House, on the occasion of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s visit.

Asked if Israel might have “forced” his hand on attacking Iran, Trump responded, “No, actually, I might have forced their hand.”

He said that the direction in which negotiations mediated by Oman were going convinced him that Iran was going to attack the US, even though US intelligence itself had said that there was no imminent threat from Iran.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said that the US attacked Iran because it knew Israel was about to bomb that country, and because the Trump administration believed that Iran would then strike US facilities in the region.

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· 5h ago

 (17:21 GMT)

Trump says someone within Iran better to lead after US-Israel war

US President Donald Trump has said that he leans towards someone within Iran, rather than Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah, as the prospective leader of the the country once the US-Israel war on Iran has ended.

“He [Pahlavi] seems like a very nice person. But it seems to me that someone from within might be better” to take over, Trump told reporters as he met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House.

He also said that the worst-case scenario in his attack on Iran would be a new leadership not different from the current one that the US is fighting.

“I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right?” said Trump.

“That could happen. We don’t want that to happen.”

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· 5h ago

 (17:20 GMT)

Blasts over Dubai were ‘successful’ interceptions: Media office

The Dubai Media Office says explosions heard in the area are from “successful air defence interceptions”.

“The competent authorities in Dubai confirm that the sounds heard in various areas of the Dubai Emirate are the result of successful interceptions by air defences,” it said in a statement.

“The relevant teams continue to monitor the situation and take necessary measures to ensure everyone’s safety, and they urge the public to obtain information from its official sources.”

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· 5h ago

 (17:15 GMT)

‘We’re doing very well’ in Iran: Trump

The US president painted a positive picture of his administration’s war against Iran on Tuesday.

“We’re doing very well,” Donald Trump said, speaking at the White House, seated next to visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

“They have no navy; it’s been knocked out. They have no air force; it’s been knocked out. They have no air detection — that’s been knocked out,” he said.

Trump acknowledged that Iran was still “lobbing” missiles at its Gulf neighbours, but said that the US was striking Iranian launch facilities.

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· 5h ago

 (17:10 GMT)

US military says it attacked 1,700 targets in Iran operation

The US military has carried out strikes against more than 1,700 targets in Iran, according to US Central Command.

In a fact sheet, CENTCOM said the strikes, which started on Saturday, targeted Iranian navy ships, submarines, and antiship missile sites along with command and control centres.

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· 5h ago

 (17:10 GMT)

Video shows strikes on Tehran

Video on social media, verified by Al Jazeera, shows explosions in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

The description suggests the attacks occurred in the west of the city. The death toll in Iran since attacks began on Saturday has risen to 787, medical sources say.

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· 5h ago

 (17:05 GMT)

Trump’s worst-case scenario in Iran

Asked about what his worst-case scenario in Iran would be, the US president on Tuesday said, “I guess if someone as bad comes in”.

Trump made the comments while responding to media questions, seated next to visiting German Chancellor Friederich Merz at the White House in Washington, DC.

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· 6h ago

 (16:54 GMT)

Loud bangs heard in Dubai, Abu Dhabi: Report

Lound bangs have been heard in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, according to a witness cited by Reuters news agency.

We’ll bring more information as we get it.

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· 6h ago

 (16:50 GMT)

UK sends destroyer, helicopters to Cyprus after Iran attacks

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK is sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities to Cyprus and deploying the air defence destroyer HMS Dragon to the region.

“The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there,” said Starmer in a post.

“We’re continuing our defensive operations and I’ve just spoken with the president of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region.”

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· 6h ago

 (16:46 GMT)

Qatari air defence intercepts projectiles in the skies over Doha

Bangs were heard over Doha just a few minutes ago, as Qatar’s air defence systems intercepted projectiles in the sky.

We’ll get you more details once we have them.

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· 6h ago

 (16:45 GMT)

Iran’s ‘axis’ of proxies waylaid by Israel-US strikes

The network of proxy armed groups – long used as a regional force against Israel – has been weakened since the Gaza war and now risks collapse, upending the regional balance, analysts say.

The weakening of Lebanon’s Hezbollah after its 2024 war with Israel and the fall of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad paved the way for Israel to aim directly at Iran, they say.

Most of the axis’s members – such as Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, or Iraqi armed groups – are “trying to understand how to survive”, said Renad Mansour, senior research fellow at the Chatham House international affairs think-tank.

To Mansour, these groups lack “the necessary military capabilities to inflict significant damage” while the most prominent ones are now “intertwined in the Iraqi state”.

The Houthis in Yemen have so far stayed away from the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

“The Houthis are in a calculated holding pattern, or perhaps a defensive approach,” said Ahmed Nagi, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.

However, Nagi said that while the axis “is facing an existential threat, that does not necessarily mean it will disintegrate”.

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· 6h ago

 (16:40 GMT)

Qatar not part of campaign targeting Iran: Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Majed al-Ansari, the spokesperson of Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, has stressed in a social media post that the country “has not been part of the campaign” against Iran.

“We are exercising our right in self defense and deterring Iranian attacks against our country. We urge media outlets to use credible Qataris sources when reporting on Qatar,” he said.

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· 6h ago

 (16:35 GMT)

No radioactive leak recorded at Iran’s nuclear site hit by US-Israeli strikes

⁠No ⁠radioactive leakage has been recorded ⁠at the Natanz ⁠nuclear facility after US and Israeli air strikes, Iranian media reports.

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· 6h ago

 (16:30 GMT)

UAE exchanges to reopen Wednesday after two-day suspension

The United Arab Emirates’s stock markets will resume trading after a two-day suspension following Iran’s missile and drone strikes on the Gulf state.

The UAE Capital Markets Authority (CMA) said the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and Dubai Financial Market (DFM) would both open for trading on Wednesday.

“The resumption follows continued coordination between the Authority and the exchanges in line with the previously communicated timeframe,” CMA said in a statement, adding it would continue to monitor developments and take measures to protect investors.

In a separate statement, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) said Nasdaq Dubai would also resume trading on Wednesday.

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· 6h ago

 (16:25 GMT)

EU starts helping evacuate citizens from Middle East

The European Union has begun helping member countries Italy, Austria and Slovakia repatriate their citizens stranded in the Middle East.

Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said the three countries were the first so far to ask Brussels to assist in funding evacuation flights from the region.

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· 6h ago

 (16:20 GMT)

Iran vows to hit all Middle East economic hubs if US-Israeli attacks persist

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General Ebrahim Jabbari has warned that continued US-Israeli attacks will see Iran conduct reprisals against “all economic centres” in the Middle East.

“We are saying to the enemy that if it decides to hit our main centres, we will hit all economic centres in the region,” said Jabbari.

“We have closed the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, the price of oil is above $80 and will soon reach $200,” he was quoted as saying by Iranian news agency ISNA.

The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly one-fifth of the world’s traded oil and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas exports from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. About 20 percent of global daily oil consumption — roughly 20 million barrels — passes through the narrow corridor.

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· 6h ago

 (16:16 GMT)

US embassy in Beirut closes ‘until further notice’

The US embassy in Beirut has announced it will close “until further notice” because of the ongoing regional tensions.

“All other regular and emergency consular appointments have been cancelled. We will communicate when the Embassy returns to normal operations,” it added in a statement.

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· 6h ago

 (16:15 GMT)

US embassy in Oman instructs staff, US citizens to seek shelter

The US embassy in Oman has instructed its staff and American citizens to take shelter “until further notice” because of “ongoing activity”.

“Find a secure location within your residence or another safe building,” said a statement.

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· 6h ago

 (16:10 GMT)

More on Israeli attack on Lebanon’s Sidon city

As just reported, an Israeli strike hit the Lebanese southern city of Sidon.

Now we have footage, verified by Al Jazeera, showing thick smoke billowing into the sky

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· 6h ago

 (16:05 GMT)

Iran won’t ‘automatically’ fall after Khamenei’s death: Shah’s widow

The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is “historically significant” but will not “automatically” lead to the fall of the Iranian system, says the widow of the country’s last shah.

“The passing of a man – however central he may be to the architecture of power – does not automatically mean the end of a system,” said Farah Pahlavi, who has lived in exile in Paris since being driven out of Iran during the 1979 revolution.

“What will be decisive,” she told the AFP news agency, is “the ability of the Iranian people to unite around a peaceful, orderly and sovereign transition to a state governed by the rule of law”, which she added her son Reza Pahlavi “is in the process of preparing”.

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· 6h ago

 (16:02 GMT)

US-Israel air strikes hit western Tehran: Report

Joint Israel-US strikes have targeted areas in western Tehran, Iran’s ISNA news agency reports.

A video shows thick plumes of smoke engulfing the city.

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· 7h ago

 (15:55 GMT)

Editor’s Choice: What to read and watch right now

We’ve published a number of pieces covering all aspects of the conflict in recent hours:

· Trump administration offers scant evidence on Iranian threat in ‘America First’ war

· Inside the US-Israel plan to assassinate Iran’s Khamenei

· Is Iran expanding attacks to target energy and civilian sites in the Gulf?

· How many countries has the US bombed since 2001, and how much has it cost?

· Babies evacuated from Iranian hospital damaged in US-Israeli strikes

And there’s plenty more here.

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· 7h ago

 (15:51 GMT)

Israeli army targets southern Lebanese city of Sidon

We are getting reports from our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic that an Israeli air strike has targeted the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli army said it attacked a missile launch site in Lebanon used to fire a barrage of rockets towards the occupied Golan Heights.

We’ll get you more updates as we get them.

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· 7h ago

 (15:50 GMT)

Israel’s Ben Gurion airport to gradually resume flights

Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, the country’s main international gateway near Tel Aviv, says Israeli airspace is set to gradually reopen overnight Wednesday into Thursday, with only one passenger flight per hour in the first phase.

The airport will eventually open to two passenger flights per hour in a second phase, Ben Gurion Airport said in a statement, without giving a timeline.

Israel’s airspace closed on Saturday at the start of US-Israeli air strikes on Iran.

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· 7h ago

 (15:40 GMT)

EU foreign ministers to talk with Gulf colleagues on Thursday

European Union foreign ministers will hold a videoconference with their counterparts from the Gulf Cooperation Council on Thursday morning, an EU official tells Reuters.

The immediate fear for Gulf leaders centres on their most vulnerable infrastructure: strikes on power grids, water desalination plants and energy infrastructure.

Analysts said the current crisis marks a dramatic shift in regional security dynamics. For years, the Gulf states focused their concerns on nonstate actors, such as the Houthis in Yemen or Hezbollah in Lebanon. That calculus has now changed.

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· 7h ago

 (15:35 GMT)

Netanyahu says Israel continuing to strike Iran ‘with force’

The prime minister says Israel is continuing to pound Iran and promises to hit the Lebanese group Hezbollah with increasing force.

“We continue to strike Iran with force. Our pilots are over the skies of Iran and Tehran and also over the skies of Lebanon,” Netanyahu said at an air force base in central Israel, according to a statement from his office.

“Hezbollah made a very big mistake when it attacked us. We have already responded forcefully, and we will respond with even greater force.”

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· 7h ago

 (15:30 GMT)

Chinese FM tells Israeli counterpart Beijing opposes strikes on Iran

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar that Beijing opposes military strikes on Iran in a phone call, state media reports.

Beijing, a close partner of Tehran, has called for a ceasefire and condemned the killing of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “serious violation”.

Speaking to Saar, Wang stayed clear of outright condemnation and said China advocated resolving issues through “dialogue and consultation”, according to state news agency Xinhua.

“The recent Iran-US negotiations were making obvious progress … Regrettably, this process has been interrupted by gunfire,” Wang said.

Reiterating Beijing’s opposition to the US-Israeli military strikes, Wang said, “Force cannot truly solve problems. Instead, it will only bring new problems and severe aftereffects.”

“China calls for an immediate halt to military operations to prevent the conflict from further spreading and getting out of control,” he added.

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· 7h ago

 (15:26 GMT)

Bahrain activates sirens, urges residents to take shelter

Sirens in Bahrain have been activated, the country’s interior minister says in a statement.

“Citizens and residents are requested to proceed to the nearest safe place,” it added.

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· 7h ago

 (15:25 GMT)

Mass funeral for victims of attack on girls school brings Iran together

By Mohammed Vall

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

The story of this school is an open wound here. People are very shocked by this. Even those not on the side of the government are talking about this school tragedy.

At least 165 people, including dozens of children, were killed in the attack by either Israel or the United States.

The mass ceremony that took place was attended by so many people from all walks of life in Minab, southern Iran. The government is focusing on this story because it is extremely painful to the people here, and it has been condemned across the board.

President Pezeshkian talked about it yesterday, saying there is no reason whatsoever for any country to be suffering this way, for children to be suffering this way.

He pointed out the goals of this attack by the Americans and Israelis have now revealed that it’s not just a campaign against military facilities and strategic locations, but it’s also a war on the Iranian people.

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· 7h ago

 (15:20 GMT)

Israel says it hits ballistic missile production sites across Iran

Israel’s military says its air force has struck industrial sites “throughout Iran” that are used to produce weapons, including ballistic missiles.

“During strikes conducted throughout Iran, the [military] targeted industrial sites used by the Iranian regime to produce weapons, particularly ballistic missiles,” it said in a statement.

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· 7h ago

 (15:15 GMT)

Russia, Oman discuss war on Iran

Russian ⁠Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone ⁠call with his Omani counterpart Badr al-Busaidi to discuss the situation around Iran, the Russian Foreign Ministry says.

The ministers urged the earliest possible halt ⁠to hostilities and a ⁠return to political and diplomatic ⁠efforts to resolve the burgeoning ⁠crisis.

Both sides ⁠said they were ready, including at the United Nations, to support a peaceful compromise based on international law.

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· 7h ago

 (15:10 GMT)

Iraqi oil exports at risk as storage pushed towards limits amid Strait of Hormuz bottlenecks

Iraq will ⁠be ⁠forced to cut its oil production by more than ⁠3 million barrels per day (bpd) in ⁠a few days if oil tankers cannot move freely through the Strait of Hormuz and reach its loading ports, a news report says.

As of today, Iraq has decreased production from ⁠the Rumaila oilfield ⁠by 700,000 bpd and cut 460,000 bpd from the West ⁠Qurna 2 field, two unnamed Iraqi oil officials told the Reuters news agency.

Export disruptions from ⁠the Strait of Hormuz slowdown have pushed storage towards capacity limits in Iraq’s southern ports, they said.

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· 7h ago

 (15:05 GMT)

US stocks open sharply lower, joining global selloff

Wall Street stocks have tumbled, joining a global selloff as markets worry about the impact of the US-Israel war on Iran, which has been boosting oil prices and inflation.

All three major indices were firmly lower a few minutes into trading, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 1.7 percent to 48,066.36.

The broad-based S&P 500 shed 1.7 percent to 6,767.35, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index slid 2.0 percent to 22,305.35.

Iran, the third-largest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), pumps about 4.5 percent of global oil supplies.

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· 8h ago

 (15:00 GMT)

Hezbollah says it hit invading Israeli Merkava tank in southern Lebanon

Hezbollah says its fighters struck an Israeli Merkava tank in the occupied Kfarchouba Hills, escalating clashes along the Lebanon-Israel border.

In a statement, the group claimed a direct hit on a tank at the Samaqa site.

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· 8h ago

 (14:55 GMT)

· 8h ago

 (14:45 GMT)

Atomic agency head says no proof of Iran weapons programme

The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog says inspectors have not found evidence of a coordinated Iranian programme to build nuclear weapons despite Israeli and US claims.

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi told NBC News that the agency had not identified “elements of a systematic and structured programme to manufacture nuclear weapons” in Iran.

At the same time, he confirmed that Tehran has enriched uranium to 60 percent purity – a level far beyond civilian energy needs.

Grossi said such enrichment is something “only countries with nuclear weapons have”.

He stressed that inspectors could not conclude Iran intends to build a bomb, but said the stockpiling raised serious questions.

This enrichment, he said, was “the source of the concerns we had”, and there was “no clear objective” for accumulating material at that level.

“The centrifuges were spinning constantly and producing more and more of that material,” he said, adding that theoretically this would have been “enough to produce more than 10 nuclear warheads. But do they have them? No.”

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· 8h ago

 (14:40 GMT)

Explosions heard throughout Iran continuously

By Mohamed Vall

in Tehran

Explosions have been heard every now and then around Tehran and other cities in Iran.

It’s a continuous situation. Strikes have also been reported in Isfahan, where the nuclear facilities are located.

The government here doesn’t give figures or any details about the targets that have been struck, but we know from sources close to the government that overnight, the TV station was targeted and also some of the security headquarters.

Nine hospitals have been hit. Some strikes were near schools and residential buildings, and there were casualties amongst civilians here and there across the country.

The Health Ministry spokesperson told us that the number of civilians killed has so far neared 800, and the number of wounded is above 5,000.

He told us of horrible scenes of people wounded, who are already sick, and those hospitals being evacuated in the most extreme, precarious condition.

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· 8h ago

 (14:30 GMT)

We will continue our defence until aggression ends: Iran’s ambassador to UN

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, said Iran will continue its campaign of defence against Israel and the US “until the point this aggression is stopped”.

“If any base in a neighbouring country is used to attack and invade other countries, that would be a legitimate target.”

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· 8h ago

 (14:26 GMT)

Israel issues evacuation threat for industrial area in Tehran, Payam airport

The Israeli army has issued an evacuation threat to people in an industrial area in Tehran and an international airport in the city of Karaj, warning that it will carry out attacks in the areas “in the coming hours”.

In a post on its Farsi-language X account, the Israeli army issued the threat for the Hakimiyeh industrial area and Payam International Airport.

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· 8h ago

 (14:25 GMT)

By Mansur Mirovalev

Moscow for decades has been Iran’s main international backer, shielding it from UN resolutions while trying to soften Western sanctions and selling weaponry worth billions of dollars to Tehran.

President Putin lambasted the killing on Saturday of Supreme Leader Khamenei as a “cynical violation of all norms of human morals and the international law”.

As US and Israeli air strikes on Iran raged on for a fourth day on Tuesday, Russia appeared poised to benefit far more from the war than it looked to lose. Moscow’s most immediate gain is a boost in its oil revenues.

Read more here. 8h ago

 (14:23 GMT)

Hezbollah says it shot down Israeli drone above Nabatieh

Hezbollah has said it shot down an Israeli drone earlier today above Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.

The armed group said it took action in response to Israel’s targeting dozens of Lebanese cities and towns.

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· 8h ago

 (14:20 GMT)

· 8h ago

 (14:15 GMT)

Latest developments

· Jordan has announced the reopening of the country’s airspace.

· Israel’s military has reported Iranian missile strikes in central Israel and has said it carried out a strike in Tehran targeting a senior Iranian commander.

· Hezbollah says it has launched missiles at an Israeli position in the Upper Galilee after Israel said it carried out air raids on Beirut’s southern suburbs, claiming it was targeting Hezbollah leaders meeting in the area.

· Israel’s military says it is carving out a buffer zone inside Lebanon, after Defence Minister Israel Katz directed troops to advance to 16 additional positions across the border.

· The US embassy in Riyadh has warned of an imminent attack in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia.

· Three people have been killed and 68 injured across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Iranian attacks, the UAE’s Defence Ministry spokesperson has said, adding that 186 missiles were launched against the country.

· US President Donald Trump has ruled out talks with Iran, claiming in a social media post that Iran had asked for talks after the US-Israeli attacks had started.

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· 8h ago

 (14:09 GMT)

Strike targets Assembly of Experts building in Qom: Report

An Israeli-US attack targeted the building of the Assembly of Experts – the body responsible for overseeing the selection of Iran’s supreme leader – in the Iranian city of Qom, Mehr news agency has reported.

In a separate statement, the news agency reported air raids hitting areas near Tehran’s Revolution Square.

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· 8h ago

 (14:05 GMT)

At least 40 killed, 246 wounded in Lebanon since Monday

At least 40 people have been killed and 246 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon on Monday and Tuesday, a spokesperson for Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.

The spokesperson said a death toll of 52 given by the ministry on Monday had been a technical error.

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· 8h ago

 (14:05 GMT)

Israeli-US war on Iran could cost region up to $60bn in lost tourism revenue

The US-Israeli war on Iran could wipe out up to a quarter of international tourism to the Middle East this year, according to new projections.

Data released on Tuesday by Tourism Economics suggests international arrivals to the region could fall by between 11 and 27 percent in 2026 if the conflict continues.

That marks a dramatic reversal from the firm’s December forecast, when it predicted a 13 percent rise in visitor numbers this year.

If the higher-end estimate materialises, the region could lose between 23 million and 38 million international visitors compared with earlier expectations. The financial impact would also be severe, with losses in visitor spending projected at between $34bn and $56bn.

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· 9h ago

 (14:00 GMT)

Iran doubts usefulness of negotiations with US, says ambassador to UN

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva has cast doubt on the prospect of negotiations with the US, three days after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on the country.

“For the time being, we are very doubtful about the usefulness of negotiation,” Ali Bahreini, ambassador of the Iranian mission to the UN in Geneva, told reporters.

“The only language for talking with the US is the language of defence; there is no time for negotiation.”

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· 9h ago

 (13:55 GMT)

Seven Israelis injured in Iranian missile attack: Report

Seven people have been injured in multiple locations in central Israel in an Iranian missile attack, Israeli media is reporting.

The incident took place in Bnei Brak, just east of Tel Aviv, and the city of Rosh Haayin, further east.

Citing witnesses, the channel reported that the impacts of the missile attacks and shrapnel had caused destruction to buildings and vehicles, started fires, and damaged roads in various locations.

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· 9h ago

 (13:50 GMT)

Former US official Bolton urges Trump to justify war is in American interests

John Bolton, former national security adviser to Trump during the president’s first term and former ambassador to the UN, says Trump must make the case as to why this war is in the interests of the American people.

“I think the case is plain and can be made very effectively, but that has not happened yet, and if this communication problem is not corrected, Trump will have serious political problems to face,” said Bolton, a longtime Iran hawk who supports the US-Israeli strikes.

Bolton said Israel and the US share a goal of seeing change in Iran with Washington leading the way in its combat capacity and intelligence support while Israel provides the strategic thinking behind the operation.

“The logic behind this is that to eliminate Iran’s nuclear programme, to eliminate Iran’s support for terrorism, you have to eliminate the system in power,” Bolton said.

“If you don’t do that, if you simply wound it and diminish its capacity, it will grow back, and in some period of time, we will be right back where we were before this attack started.”

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· 9h ago

 (13:45 GMT)

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claims strikes in northern Iraq

Iran’s IRGC says it has destroyed what it describes as hostile targets in northern Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region.

In a statement, the IRGC said the sites belonged to groups it accused of planning to infiltrate Iran and carry out operations inside the country.

There was no immediate response from authorities in the Iraqi region regarding the reported strikes.

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· 9h ago

 (13:40 GMT)

Jordan’s civil aviation authority reopens airspace

The Jordanian Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission has announced the reopening of the country’s airspace, reversing a partial closure in effect since Monday night.

In a statement, the authority said the decision had been made after an in-depth risk assessment in coordination with all stakeholders.

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· 9h ago

 (13:35 GMT)

Tehran’s actions may force GCC countries into ‘decisive anti-Iran stance’

Hesham Alghannam, a Saudi political analyst, tells Al Jazeera that we are witnessing a “gradual shift” from Saudi Arabia and the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) from a “pre-escalation neutrality” to something completely different.

“I wouldn’t say it is anti-Iran at this stage, but it is definitely heading in that direction,” he said.

Alghannam noted that Iran “would eliminate moderate Gulf positions once and for all if oil and gas facilities continue to be targeted”.

“Iran is probably banking on this pressure and on the GCC countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which have good relations with the Americans, to perhaps convince the Trump administration to dial back.

“But do these countries have that leverage today? If push came to shove, could they be the ones to convince the US and Israel to step back? I think it is much more complicated than that.

“Signals from the US show that this will take weeks, not days.”

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· 9h ago

 (13:30 GMT)

Iran bans food exports as wartime measure: Report

Iran has announced a ban on all exports of food and farm products, the semiofficial Tasnim news agency is reporting.

“The export of all food and agricultural products has been banned until further notice,” the agency reported, citing a government statement.

“The government has prioritised the supply of essential goods for the people.”

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· 9h ago

 (13:26 GMT)

Israeli military says Iranian missiles hit central Israel

Israel’s military has reported Iranian missile strikes in central Israel.

“Search and rescue forces, together with numerous emergency teams, are currently operating at the impact sites in central Israel,” the army said. “The circumstances of the impact are under review.”

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· 9h ago

 (13:20 GMT)

Hezbollah fires missiles at site in Upper Galilee in Israel

Hezbollah says it has launched missiles at an Israeli position in the Upper Galilee.

The group said it targeted the Maayan Baruch Israeli outpost with missile fire.

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· 9h ago

 (13:17 GMT)

US embassy warns of imminent attack in eastern Saudi Arabia

The US Embassy in Riyadh has warned of an imminent attack in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia.

“There is a threat of imminent and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the US Consulate,” it said in a social media post.

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· 9h ago

 (13:15 GMT)

Iran denies attacks on Oman: State media

Iran has denied carrying out attacks on Oman, Iranian state media is reporting.

Oman has been hit with numerous attacks, including one on Sunday involving two drones that wounded an expatriate worker.

Earlier, Oman’s news agency reported that a fuel tank at the country’s Duqm commercial port was hit by a drone attack, before a drone crashed near the vicinity of Salalah port, and two other drones were intercepted in Dhofar governorate.

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· 9h ago

 (13:10 GMT)

Iran’s president says country ‘has not come to a halt’

Iran’s President Pezeshkian says the government remains operational despite the escalating war on the country, insisting that state functions continue across the country.

In a post on X, Pezeshkian said authorities are coordinating closely with provincial leadership as the situation unfolds.

“We are in direct contact with the governors. The situation is exceptional, but the country has not come to a halt,” he wrote.

“Ongoing activities are continuing across the country.”

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· 9h ago

 (13:05 GMT)

‘Too late’ for talks, Trump tells Iran

US President Donald Trump has ruled out talks with Iran, claiming in a social media post that Iran had asked for talks after the US-Israeli attacks had started.

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· 10h ago

 (13:00 GMT)

By attacking Iran, Netanyahu has ‘attempted to divert attention away from Gaza’

By attacking Iran, Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu has “attempted to divert international attention away from Gaza”, according to Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

“International media is focused on Iran now which gives Netanyahu space to quietly go ahead with his genocidal agenda in Gaza and West Bank,” Asif wrote on X.

“Netanyahu’s demonic personal ambitions have plunged Palestine and rest of ME [Middle East] into worst tragedy of human history.”

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· 10h ago

 (12:55 GMT)

Who is Ali Larijani, the Iranian official promising a ‘lesson’ to the US?

For decades, Ali Larijani was the calm, pragmatic face of the Iranian establishment – a man who wrote books on the 18th-century German philosopher Immanuel Kant and negotiated nuclear deals with the West.

But on March 1, the 67-year-old secretary of the Supreme National Security Council’s tone changed irrevocably.

Appearing on state television just 24 hours after US-Israeli air strikes killed Ali Khamenei and the IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour, Larijani delivered a message of fire.

“America and the Zionist regime [Israel] have set the heart of the Iranian nation ablaze,” he wrote on social media. “We will burn their hearts. We will make the Zionist criminals and the shameless Americans regret their actions.”

Read more here on who Ali Larijani is. 10h ago

 (12:50 GMT)

Israel claims strike on senior Iranian commander

The Israeli army says it has carried out a strike in Tehran targeting a senior Iranian commander.

The army said the attack took place a short time earlier but did not immediately provide further details about the identity of the target or the outcome of the operation.

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· 10h ago

 (12:45 GMT)

· 10h ago

 (12:40 GMT)

Iran’s missile capabilities against Israel ‘significantly degraded’

Iran most likely has a couple of hundred missiles left with a range of reaching Israel left, but only a few dozen launching systems, Wolfgang Pusztai, a security policy and defence analyst in Vienna, has told Al Jazeera.

“And this is a problem for Iran. If we compare the number of missiles launched in Israel during the 12 Days War with what is being launched right now, and look at the time gaps in between, it is quite clear that Iran’s capability to launch missiles against Israel is significantly degraded,” he said.

“Iran probably has about 1,200 to 1,500 short-range ballistic missiles with a range sufficient to reach the western shores of the Gulf. These short-range ballistic missiles fly lower and slower than medium-range ballistic missiles and are easier to intercept.

“Nevertheless, they remain a significant threat.”

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· 10h ago

 (12:35 GMT)

Russia’s Rosatom sounds warning over threat to Bushehr nuclear plant

The head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom has warned that the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran faces a threat as a result of the US-Israeli attacks on the country, Russian state news agency RIA is reporting.

On Saturday, Rosatom said it had evacuated nearly 100 people from Iran, although its personnel remained at the Russia-built plant in the port city, which is Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant.

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· 10h ago

 (12:30 GMT)

Israeli air strikes target Hezbollah in southern Beirut

Israel has carried out air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs which Israeli Army Radio said targeted Hezbollah leaders meeting in the area.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the raids, carried out without prior warning, had caused “extensive damage to buildings”, while AFP news agency footage showed plumes of smoke rising from the area.

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· 10h ago

 (12:25 GMT)

US and Israel’s messaging aims to ‘weaken Iran’s morale’

Wolfgang Pusztai, a security policy and defence analyst in Vienna, has told Al Jazeera that the situation in Iran is a part of “information warfare” that the US and Israel are playing to “send a message to Iran – don’t expect this to be over within one or two weeks.”

“They want to undermine the morale of the IRGC and of all the others fighting against the offensive of Israel and the US in the hope that they give up,” Pusztai said.

“Iran wants to send a message through the missiles towards Israel and ongoing attacks on various US military and civilian facilities in the Gulf states that they can also continue the war indefinitely.

“So this is part of information warfare. We will see in the next few days and weeks whether this will really lead to an early end of the war or to a longer campaign.”

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· 10h ago

 (12:20 GMT)

What did Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson say about Iran’s attacks?

By Laura Khan

Reporting from Doha, Qatar

The press briefing by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari, a short while ago, covered many points.

Let’s start with the jets that were scrambled in seemingly the first air-to-air combat that happened over Qatari waters.

He said the Iranians had sent over some jets, with Qatar scrambling their own jets and given them a warning. When the Iranian jets continued their trajectory towards Doha, that’s when they fired upon them. The status of the pilots is as of yet unknown.

I asked in the press briefing if Iran was continuing to cross red lines, what would they do, and if there are any concrete measures that they are going to take against them.

Al-Ansari essentially said all red lines have been crossed; from the north to the south of Qatar, from attacking energy to attacking Hamad international airport, which is a huge hub of international travel.

He said that all of these attacks had been thwarted, and both the staff and the airport have remained safe.

The spokesperson also said that thousands of passengers have been stranded across Qatar. They’ve taken good care of them; they have put them up in hotels and extended visas.

He also called on the public to look out for any misinformation and to continue to follow the ministry’s advice and guidance – mainly to take shelter when they are being asked to.

He did say that they have all rights to retaliation under the UN Charter, Article 51, if these attacks continues. There are plans – he cannot give them out – but they are, of course, taking this incredibly seriously. And he also said they have no contact with Iran at the moment.

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· 10h ago

 (12:12 GMT)

Bahrain says it destroyed 73 missiles, 91 drones

Bahrain says its air defence systems have destroyed 73 missiles and 91 drones launched by Iran since the start of the latest war.

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· 10h ago

 (12:10 GMT)

Indonesia to import more US crude oil amid Middle East conflict

Indonesia will import more crude oil from the US to replace supplies from the Middle East.

Attacks by the US and Israel on Iran and the latter’s retaliatory strikes have disrupted crude flows, with the crucial Strait of Hormuz – through which about a fifth of global oil transits – closed off.

Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said 20 to 25 percent of Indonesia’s total crude oil imports come from the Middle East and pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

“For the crude oil we currently take from the Middle East, we are diverting part of it to purchases from the United States, so that we have certainty regarding the availability of our crude oil,” Bahlil told reporters.

Bahlil said 30 percent of Indonesia’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports also came from the Middle East, and the government would seek alternative suppliers.

Bahlil said Indonesia had enough crude oil supply for three weeks and that it couldn’t import more because the country did not have adequate storage facilities.

Indonesia has pledged to buy $15bn of US energy under a newly-signed trade agreement with the US.

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· 10h ago

 (12:05 GMT)

Iranian attacks kill 3 in UAE, 68 injured

Three people have been killed and 68 injured across the UAE by Iranian attacks, the UAE’s Defence Ministry spokesperson has said.

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· 10h ago

 (12:02 GMT)

UAE Defence Ministry says 186 missiles, 812 drones launched from Iran

UAE Defence Ministry spokesperson says:

· 186 missiles were launched against our country

· 172 of them were destroyed, 13 of them in the sea

· One missile landed on our territories

· 812 Iranian drones were monitored, and 755 of them were intercepted

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· 11h ago

 (12:00 GMT)

Zelenskyy says discussed with UAE president how to ‘help, support the protection of lives’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he and his team have spoken with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expressed condolences over the lives lost “as a result of Iran’s insane strikes”.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said the leaders discussed “key aspects of the situation” in the region, with the UAE president telling him that “the Iranian regime is targeting not only military facilities but virtually everything – residential buildings, shopping malls, even mosques”.

Zelenskyy said the pair discussed “how we can help in this situation” and agreed to work on supporting “the protection of lives” amid the conflict.

“It was agreed that our teams will work on this,” he said.

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· 11h ago

 (11:55 GMT)

India, Europe feel fuel crunch as Gulf gas supplies disrupted amid war

Indian companies have reduced natural gas supplies to industries in anticipation of tighter supply from the Middle East after ⁠top global producer Qatar halted LNG production, as European gas prices have jumped further by more than 30 percent since the launch of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Industry sources with knowledge of the matter told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday that top gas importer Petronet LNG Ltd had informed GAIL (India), the state-owned top gas marketing company, and other companies about lower supplies.

India is the world’s fourth-largest buyer of LNG and relies heavily on the Middle East for its imports. The South Asian nation is the top LNG client for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ⁠and the second-largest buyer of Qatari LNG.

Read more here.

Qatar halts natural gas production after Iranian attacks

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· 11h ago

 (11:50 GMT)

Greece sets up repatriation plan for nationals stranded in Middle East

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says Greece has a plan to repatriate thousands of its citizens stranded in the Middle East amid widespread air traffic closures caused by the growing conflict in the region.

He acknowledged, however, their return would be difficult, given the closure of airspace in the region.

Earlier, French Foreign Minister ⁠Jean-Noel Barrot said France was ready to repatriate the most at risk of the 400,000 French nationals in affected countries in the region with commercial and military flights. 11h ago

 (11:47 GMT)

Sirens sound in Kuwait City

Our colleagues on the ground are reporting that sirens are sounding in Kuwait City.

This comes after Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest terms” an attack on the US Embassy in the country.

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· 11h ago

 (11:45 GMT)

Four Iranian missiles intercepted over Jordan, occupied West Bank

Israeli media reports say air defences have intercepted four Iranian ballistic missiles over Jordan and areas near Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

The reports indicate that the missiles were shot down before reaching their intended targets.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

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· 11h ago

 (11:40 GMT)

Prolonged Iran conflict risks waning support in US

By Rosiland Jordan

Reporting from Washington, DC

Netanyahu has defended the decision to attack Iran alongside the US. He has characterised the conflict as a quick and decisive action, not an endless process.

But this could get prolonged. And historically, prolonged conflicts tend to face diminishing political support in the US. While President Trump may express confidence to maintain morale and backing, sustaining a long-term military campaign depends on practical realities – money, manufacturing capacity and public support.

The US has maintained strong military and strategic ties with Israel. However, there has been a debate in Washington over whether the US should automatically back Israeli military actions.

And we should not forget that the US continues to provide weapons to other countries, including Ukraine, which is still engaged in a war with Russia. This further strains available resources.

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· 11h ago

 (11:36 GMT)

Oman says drone crashed near Salalah port, no casualties

Oman’s state media, quoting a security source, says a drone has crashed near the vicinity of Salalah port.

Two other drones were intercepted in Dhofar governorate, it added.

There were no casualties.

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· 11h ago

 (11:35 GMT)

Israel expands Lebanon push, announces ‘buffer zone’

Israel’s military says it is carving out a buffer zone inside Lebanon, after Defence Minister Katz directed troops to advance to 16 additional positions across the border.

The move signals a further consolidation of Israeli forces along the frontier amid ongoing attacks on Lebanon.

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· 11h ago

 (11:30 GMT)

Russia’s Lavrov warns attacks on Iran could unleash nuclear arms race in region

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that US and Israeli attacks on Iran could drive not only Tehran but its neighbours to seek to acquire nuclear weapons.

The widening conflict in the region raises the risk of nuclear proliferation, he said.

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· 11h ago

 (11:25 GMT)

US role in Iran war hinges on resources and political will

By Rosiland Jordan

Reporting from Washington, DC

How long the US remains involved in the war on Iran depends on several factors, including military resources, funding and political will.

Realistically, the only way Congress could compel the Trump administration to scale back or stop the military operation would be for a majority in both chambers to pass a resolution either authorising or denying the continuation of the campaign.

Congress, not the executive branch, holds the sole constitutional power to declare war.

Congressional Democrats have introduced a resolution seeking a vote on the matter. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated that such a vote would likely not occur before Thursday. He also suggested he would not support any action that might “hamstring” what he views as a justified military operation.

Whether Democrats can persuade enough Republicans to break ranks remains uncertain, especially given the narrow Republican majority in both chambers.

Additionally, military supplies are not infinite. There is a finite stockpile of missiles, warheads and equipment. Unless defence contractors are actively producing and replenishing supplies under Pentagon contracts, those stockpiles will eventually be depleted.

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· 11h ago

 (11:20 GMT)

Iran targets civilian infrastructure to ‘display military strength’

One of the reasons why Iran is resorting to hitting civilian infrastructure in neighbouring countries is to “demonstrate their military capabilities”, Luciano Zaccara, Iran and Gulf analyst at Qatar University, has told Al Jazeera.

“Iran is retaliating against all the attacks, not in one place, but in almost 10 simultaneously,” he said.

“The other thing is the political message they want to give that if Iran is attacked, the impact will be global,” Zaccara said, noting that the main message is that not only Iran, but the economy of the whole region, will be affected.

“And neither the US, the region, nor the consumers of energy are able to continue this way,” he said. “But at this point, they [Iran] don’t care that much, considering that they have been under sanctions for a long time.

“So it’s not affecting the Iranian economy that much. And the fact that the oil price is going up – even though they export very little – means they are still surviving,” Zaccara said.

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· 11h ago

 (11:15 GMT)

A recap of recent developments

· Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says Iran’s enemies “must stop the war” and calls on the international community “to fulfil its responsibility before it is too late”. He warns that the process that has begun will “soon engulf Europe”.

· The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed, based on the latest satellite imagery, “some recent damage to entrance buildings” of Iran’s underground Natanz uranium enrichment plant, adding that no radiological impact was expected and no additional impact was detected.

· Israel has instructed its forces to advance and seize positions in southern Lebanon following an earlier build-up of troops there, prompting the Lebanese army to pull back from the border area.

· At ⁠least ⁠30,000 displaced people have sought protection in ⁠shelters in Lebanon since hostilities between ⁠Israel and Hezbollah began on Monday, says UNHCR.

· Iran has held a mass funeral ceremony for 165 people killed in a US-Israel attack on a school in the southern city of Minab.

· The death toll from US-Israeli attacks across Iran has risen to 787, state media reported, citing the Iranian Red Crescent, which said more than 500 locations in at least 153 cities had been struck.

· Qatar says no communication is ongoing with Iran as it said attacks were targeting all of its territory, not just military sites.

· Kuwait has confirmed a “treacherous attack” that targeted the US Embassy in Kuwait City.

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· 11h ago

 (11:10 GMT)

Kuwait condemns ‘treacherous’ attack on US embassy

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry has condemned “in the strongest terms” an attack on the US embassy in the country, calling it “treacherous” and “a flagrant violation of all international norms and laws”.

“The ministry reiterates its affirmation of the State of Kuwait’s right to take all necessary measures and actions to protect its security, the safety of its territories, its citizens, and the residents therein,” it said.

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· 11h ago

 (11:07 GMT)

QatarEnergy to stop production of some downstream products

“Further to the decision by QatarEnergy to stop production of LNG and associated products, QatarEnergy is stopping the production of some downstream products in the State of Qatar, including urea, polymers, methanol, aluminum and other products,” it said on X.

This comes after two of its installations were targeted in northern Qatar earlier this week.

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· 11h ago

 (11:05 GMT)

Russia says it has seen no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Moscow ⁠had still seen no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons as the US and Israel ⁠pursue their attacks.

“We still see no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons, which was the main, if not the only, justification for the war,” Lavrov said in Brunei.

He said the consequences of the attacks on Iran are being felt throughout the region and Arab ⁠countries are bearing economic costs and suffering ⁠casualties.

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· 12h ago

 (11:00 GMT)

‘They must stop the war. We did not start it,’ says Iran’s Foreign Ministry

By Maziar Motamedi

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

We have more comments from Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei:

· They must stop the war. We did not start it. Our choice was diplomacy.

· The international community must decide to fulfill its responsibility before it is too late. The process that has begun will soon engulf Europe. The fire, that the US and the Zionist regime ignited, will engulf the entire world.

· All of Europe’s approaches are contradictory. Any violation of the law and any breach of moral principles and the UN Charter will have consequences that affect every single human being on Earth.

· If European countries understand this, they will certainly move out of their state of indifference.

· The UN Security Council has a clear and heavy duty to condemn the aggression against Iran and differentiate between those who are committing the aggression.

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· 12h ago

 (10:55 GMT)

Israel threatens dozens of villages in southern Lebanon

Israel’s military has issued forced evacuation threats covering dozens of towns and villages in southern Lebanon as it escalates its war on Lebanon and Iran.

In a statement, it threatened residents of 59 villages to leave their homes, warning that it would soon act against what it described as Hezbollah’s activities in the area.

The orders affect more than two dozen towns across the south, expanding the area placed under threat of imminent military action.

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· 12h ago

 (10:52 GMT)

‘Iranian targets are not just military but all of Qatar’s territory’

Qatar’s FM spokesperson has added that Iranian targets are not just military but all of the country’s territory.

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· 12h ago

 (10:50 GMT)

Qatar says there were attempts to attack Hamad international airport, which failed.

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· 12h ago

 (10:47 GMT)

Almost 8,000 people stranded in transit: Qatar

Qatar says there are almost 8,000 people stranded in transit in the country as the airspace remains closed.

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· 12h ago

 (10:45 GMT)

No ongoing communication with Iran, says Qatar

Here’s more from Qatar’s FM spokesperson:

· There is no ongoing communication with Iran

· Our stockpile of interceptor missiles has not run out, and we have enough to deal with the ongoing threat.

· The claim that pressuring Gulf countries would lead to a return to negotiations is false.

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· 12h ago

 (10:42 GMT)

Qatar says no information on Mossad cells at the moment

Qatar’s FM spokesperson adds that there is no information on Mossad cells operating in the country.

This comes after US broadcaster Tucker Carlson claimed that Qatar and Saudi Arabia have arrested individuals linked to Mossad.

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· 12h ago

 (10:40 GMT)

More from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Here are some more lines from the weekly briefing:

· Qatar has proven that it cannot be threatened.

· We remain fully prepared.

· Such attacks will not go unanswered.

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· 12h ago

 (10:38 GMT)

Here are some more lines from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson during his news briefing:

· The Iranian jets that were shot down on Monday entered Qatari airspace despite being warned.

· They were heading for Doha before they were targeted.

· Qatar is still searching for their crews.

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· 12h ago

 (10:35 GMT)

Qatar not notified of incoming missile attacks by Iran

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari is holding a news conference in which he says the country was not notified by Iran of incoming missile attacks.

Stay with us as we bring you more on this.

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· 12h ago

 (10:30 GMT)

WATCH: Thousands flee towards Syrian border as Israeli strikes on Lebanon escalate

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· 12h ago

 (10:25 GMT)

At least 30,000 displaced people in shelters in Lebanon

At ⁠least ⁠30,000 displaced people have sought protection in ⁠shelters in Lebanon since hostilities between ⁠Israel and Hezbollah began on Monday, says UNHCR.

“Many more slept in their cars on ⁠the side of ⁠roads or were still ⁠stuck in traffic jams on the roads,” said UNHCR spokesperson ⁠Babar Baloch.

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· 12h ago

 (10:23 GMT)

Sirens are sounding in Bahrain. AFP is also reporting several explosions in Manama.

Stay with us as we bring you all the latest as we get it.

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· 12h ago

 (10:20 GMT)

Hezbollah official says ‘era of patience has ended’

A senior Hezbollah official says the recent attacks have left the group with “no option but to return to resistance”.

Israel wanted open war, “so let it be an open war”, said Mahmoud Qmati, adding that “the era of patience has ended.”

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· 12h ago

 (10:15 GMT)

Iranian missile hits central Israel: Report

A missile carrying a fragmentation warhead has struck the central Israeli city of Petah Tikva, Israel’s Channel 12 is reporting.

The Times of Israel reported that fragments from an Iranian missile had made impact in central Israel, causing damage. No injuries have been reported.

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· 12h ago

 (10:13 GMT)

Saudi Arabia condemns Iranian attack on US embassy in Riyadh

We have reaction from Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry about the Iranian attack on the US embassy in Riyadh.

In a statement, the ministry said it condemned the “treacherous” assault “in the strongest terms”.

It also said the kingdom reaffirms its right to take all measures to defend itself and its interests, including the option of responding to any aggression.

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· 12h ago

 (10:10 GMT)

Photos: Funeral held for children killed in attack on Iranian school12h ago

 (10:05 GMT)

Ban on Hezbollah military activities in Lebanon is ‘final’: President Aoun

Lebanon’s president says the government’s move to immediately ban Hezbollah’s military activity is “final”, declaring there is “no turning back” from the order.

Aoun said the cabinet decision obliges Hezbollah to hand over its weapons to the state, underlining that the authority to decide matters of war and peace rests solely with the government.

In a statement posted on X, Aoun described Monday’s decision as a move that would “preserve the right of the Lebanese state alone, and no other, to hold the decision of war and peace”.

The decision followed renewed cross-border attacks after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in response to the Israeli-US war on Iran. It was the first time in more than a year that Hezbollah had fired into Israel, which has carried out hundreds of attacks on Lebanon despite a ceasefire agreed in November 2024.

Israel’s response to the Hezbollah rocket fire has killed at least 52 people across Lebanon.

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· 13h ago

 (10:00 GMT)

Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejects talks, says it is fighting ‘the devil’

By Maziar Motamedi

Reporting from Tehran

Iran’s Foreign Ministry says the government is focused on “defence” following attempts at negotiations.

“Eternal disgrace will remain upon those who claimed to pursue diplomacy but, in the face of Iran’s logic, bowed down and turned to the military option,” said spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.

On escalating tensions with regional neighbours by attacking their energy infrastructure, he only emphasised that Tehran considers itself “committed to humanitarian principles”.

“The Zionist regime refrains from no act of malice. I ask my Arab friends to reflect carefully. The regime has no hesitation in expanding the scope of the war, smearing Iran’s reputation, and committing crimes in other countries.”

Baghaei said “Iran is currently the only remaining force standing against evil”, also appearing to refer to the US as “the devil”.

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· 13h ago

 (09:55 GMT)

‘Time for Pakistan to leave the Board of Peace,’ says former envoy to the UN

Pakistan’s former ambassador to the UN has urged the PM to leave Trump’s so-called Board of Peace on Gaza following the attacks on Iran.

“Time for Pakistan to leave the Board of Peace which it should not have joined in the first place, set up and headed by a man who has launched attacks against 7 countries and whose admin is complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza,” Maleeha Lodhi, who was also ambassador to the US and the UK, said on X.

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· 13h ago

 (09:50 GMT)

In numbers: Impact of US-Israeli attacks on Iran so far

Here is an update from Iran’s Red Crescent Society:

· At least 153 cities across the country have been affected by recent attacks

· A total of 504 locations have been struck so far by US-Israeli attacks

· The number of recorded attacks has reached 1,039

As we reported earlier, at least 787 people have been killed in the attacks.

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· 13h ago

 (09:45 GMT)

Photos: Firefighters at the site of Israeli strike in Beirut’s suburb of Dahiyeh13h ago

 (09:41 GMT)

IAEA confirms ‘recent damage to entrance buildings’ of Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said it can confirm, based on the latest available satellite imagery, “some recent damage to entrance buildings” of Iran’s underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP).

“No radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at FEP itself, which was severely damaged in the June conflict,” it added, referring to the 12-day war launched by Israel against Iran last year that also included US attacks on the Natanz facility, alongside two others.

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· 13h ago

 (09:40 GMT)

Satellite photos show radar system destruction at eastern Iran airbase

Satellite imagery shows the destruction of a radar system following attacks at Zahedan airbase in eastern Iran near the border with Pakistan:

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· 13h ago

 (09:35 GMT)

Lebanese troops pulled back from border due to escalating Israeli attacks: Source

A Lebanese military source has told Al Jazeera that the army has pulled its troops back from the border area to ensure their safety amid an escalation in Israeli attacks.

As we reported earlier, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the Lebanese army is evacuating “advanced positions” along the border with Israel, with Reuters reporting it has withdrawn from at ⁠least seven ⁠forward operating positions along the border, quoting witnesses.

The moves come as Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel’s army had been instructed “to advance and seize additional controlling areas in Lebanon to prevent firing on Israeli border settlements”, following an earlier deployment of troops to the border.

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· 13h ago

 (09:30 GMT)

Caution urged over potential ground operations after Israel’s push into southern Lebanon

Israel’s announcement that its army is pushing farther into southern Lebanon should be met with “caution”, Ali Rizk, a security analyst based in Beirut, tells Al Jazeera.

He added that the statement is not necessarily a “prelude to something major on the ground”.

“We have to remember that when the Israelis resort to these tactics – land confrontations – it costs them very dearly,” Rizk said, adding that that was evident in the 2024 war.

Commenting on Lebanon’s decision to outlaw Hezbollah’s military and security activities, Rizk said Israel will most likely “wait to see how that decision turns out before they carry out any costly intervention on the ground”.

“If the Lebanese army agrees to disarm Hezbollah by force, the Israelis, ironically, could rely on the Lebanese army as its foot soldiers to carry out that mission, and that’s something which the US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, stated in one of his interviews, that we want the Lebanese army to fight its own people.

“Now, that’s not necessarily a guaranteed scenario. Judging by the performance of the Lebanese army chief, he’s been very adamant about not entering into a civil war,” Rizk said, noting that the same applies to President Joseph Aoun.

“But that does not apply to the Lebanese PM, Nawaf Sarah, who appears to be determined to disarm Hezbollah or to confront Hezbollah, whatever the costs involved.

“So until that situation further clarifies, again, I would urge a word of caution in predicting that the Israelis are going to carry out some kind of major land operation.”

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· 13h ago

 (09:25 GMT)

WATCH: Top Democrat says there was no imminent threat to the US from Iran

US Democratic senator Mark Warner says there was no “imminent threat” from Iran to the US, after receiving a briefing on the attacks on Iran.

He called for President Trump to explain the goal of the US’s military action. 13h ago

 (09:24 GMT)

Sirens activated in Tel Aviv, central Israel

Red alert sirens have been activated in central Israel, including Tel Aviv.

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· 13h ago

 (09:20 GMT)

France ready to defend partners, its foreign minister says

France is ready ⁠to ⁠defend its partners if they request support and reserves its right to intervene, Foreign Minister ⁠Jean-Noel Barrot says.

In comments to French broadcaster BFM TV, he said fighting was “dragging a number of countries in the region into the conflict with which we have relations, defence agreements and interests, including military bases”.

He said about 400,000 French nationals were in affected countries in the region and France was ready to repatriate those most at risk with commercial and military flights.

French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noel Barrot gives a news conference after a crisis meeting in Paris on March 2, 2026 [Thibault Camus/Pool/AFP]

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· 13h ago

 (09:15 GMT)

Pakistan defence minister says Zionism a ‘threat to humanity’, conflict ‘imposed upon’ Iran

In a social media post, Khawaja Asif calls Zionism a driving force behind instability in the Muslim world and a “threat to humanity”, warning that the war on Iran threatens Pakistan’s security.

“From the establishment of Israel on the land of Palestine until today, every catastrophe that has befallen the Islamic world, every war imposed upon it, will show the direct or indirect hand of Zionist ideology and the state,” the defence minister said as he hailed Pakistan’s nuclear capability as a shield against external threats.

Asif argued that the current conflict had been “imposed upon” Iran despite its readiness to reach an agreement in negotiations with the US.

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· 13h ago

 (09:10 GMT)

China urges return to talks, respects right to peaceful nuclear use

China ⁠has condemned US strikes on Iran, urging a return to negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson says.

Mao Ning ⁠said US strikes on Iran “during ongoing negotiations … violate ⁠international law and ⁠basic principles of international relations”.

“The ⁠Iran nuclear issue should eventually return to the track of political and diplomatic settlement,” Mao said, adding that Beijing respects ⁠Iran’s “legitimate right to the peaceful use ⁠of nuclear energy”.

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· 13h ago

 (09:09 GMT)

Iran death toll reaches 787

The death toll from US-Israeli attacks across Iran has risen to 787, state media report, citing the Iranian Red Crescent.

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· 13h ago

 (09:05 GMT)

· 14h ago

 (09:00 GMT)

Chinese refiner cuts operations as Middle East conflict tightens crude oil supplies

Zhejiang Petrochemical Corp, a major Chinese refiner backed by Saudi Aramco, is shutting a ⁠200,000-barrel-per-day crude unit as it brings forward maintenance at a time when the Middle East conflict is tightening crude oil supplies.

The monthlong overhaul in March will cut ⁠output by 20 percent, a company representative told the Reuters news agency.

Designed to process 800,000 barrels per day, the refinery is one of China’s largest and ran above its capacity in February, sources said.

The US-Israeli war with Iran has cut off nearly all shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for 20 percent of global oil supplies.

China, the world’s biggest oil importer, sources roughly half its crude from the Middle East, and the lengthening supply squeeze is pushing up oil prices and is expected to spur other refiners to trim their operations, industry sources said.

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· 14h ago

 (08:55 GMT)

Pakistan says ‘no restrictions’ on airspace

By Abid Hussain

Reporting from Islamabad

Correction 13:40 GMT: A previous version of this post said Pakistan had announced a partial closure of commercial airspace until the end of March. That was incorrect. It has since been fixed.

Pakistan Airports Authority says “there are no restrictions on commercial operations, arrivals, departures, or overflights across Pakistan”.

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· 14h ago

 (08:52 GMT)

Drone debris sparks fire at UAE’s Fujairah port

Authorities in the UAE say they have brought a fire under control at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone after debris from a downed drone ignited flames.

No casualties have been reported.

In a statement on X, officials in Fujairah said emergency teams moved swiftly after debris fell following the interception of a drone by air defence systems.

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· 14h ago

 (08:50 GMT)

Indian firms reduce gas supply to industries after Qatar halts LNG production: Report

Companies in India have reduced fuel supplies to industries in anticipation of tighter supply after ⁠top producer Qatar suspended its liquefied natural gas (LNG) production following a drone attack, Reuters has reported, quoting four industry sources with knowledge of the matter.

India, the world’s fourth-largest buyer of LNG, relies heavily on producers from the Middle East for its imports. It is the top LNG client for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company ⁠and the second-largest buyer of Qatari LNG.

Top LNG importer Petronet LNG Ltd has informed GAIL (India), the top gas marketing company, and other companies about lower supplies, two of the sources told the news agency.

GAIL ⁠and Indian Oil Corp informed customers of the gas supply cut late on Monday, one of the sources said.

The cuts range from 10 percent to 30 percent, two of the ⁠sources told Reuters.

The cuts have been set at minimum lifting quantities that would shield the suppliers from ⁠any penalties from the customers based on ⁠contractual terms, the sources said.

To make up for the LNG shortfall, companies including IOC, GAIL and Petronet LNG are planning to issue spot tenders, two of the sources said, although spot prices, freight, and insurance costs have surged.

Play Video14h ago

 (08:45 GMT)

Hezbollah warns ban against their activities could cause ‘internal problems’

By Zeina Khodr

Reporting from Beirut

The Lebanese government made an unprecedented decision yesterday to ban all Hezbollah military and intelligence activities in the country.

While this was seen as a bold move, the question in Lebanon is how it would be implemented. Hezbollah issued a veiled warning, saying such a decision could cause internal problems.

The group has repeatedly warned it will not cooperate with any effort to disarm north of the Litani River, per the ceasefire agreement that came into force in November 2024. It argues that doing so would amount to submitting to Israeli and US demands.

Lebanon’s political leadership says this is a national decision aimed at restoring state sovereignty, not a move driven by pressure from Washington or Tel Aviv. The government wants to extend its authority across the country and disarm all non-state actors.

There is concern in Lebanon that if the Lebanese army uses force, this could cause internal strife. Others argue that this may be a risk the state must take to halt Israeli attacks.

What is quite telling is that, so far, no country has stepped forward to offer to mediate or contain this escalating confrontation.

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· 14h ago

 (08:42 GMT)

Lebanese army withdraws from ‘advanced positions’ along Israel border

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency says the Lebanese army is evacuating “advanced positions” along the border with Israel.

The Lebanese army has withdrawn from at ⁠least seven ⁠forward operating positions along the border, Reuters news agency reported earlier, citing witnesses.

The moves come as Israel’s Defence Minister Katz said the army had been instructed “to advance and seize additional controlling areas in Lebanon to prevent firing on Israeli border settlements”.

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· 14h ago

 (08:40 GMT)

Satellite images show damage at Iran’s Choqa Balk-e facility

Satellite photos show the aftermath of an attack on the Choqa Balk-e drone facility in Iran’s Kermanshah province – see below:

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· 14h ago

 (08:38 GMT)

Trump attacks UK PM Starmer for not joining Iran war

President Trump has lashed out at UK PM Keir Starmer for refusing to back Washington’s war against Iran, warning that the so-called “special relationship” now faces strain.

“He has not been helpful … I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK,” Trump said.

He added that ties between the two countries had shifted dramatically.

“It’s a different world, actually. It’s just a much different kind of relationship that we’ve had with your country before.”

Trump said he had never expected to see what he described as the once “most solid of all” alliances come under such pressure.

He also suggested that the US no longer depends on the UK to prosecute its wars in the Middle East.

“It’s not going to matter, but [Starmer] should have helped … he should have,” Trump said.

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· 14h ago

 (08:35 GMT)

Jets patrol skies over Qatar after Iranian missiles taken down

By Aksel Zaimovic

Reporting from Doha

Overnight, we heard there was official confirmation from Qatar’s Defence Ministry that two ballistic missiles were taken down offshore. We’re still hearing helicopters and a significant number of fighter jets.

There are many concerns in the region because it’s not just about US military installations. Now we see energy infrastructure being targeted – two separate attacks, in Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

What’s really concerning here is the question of what happens next. If Iran is willing to target Qatar’s LNG infrastructure, the lifeblood of the economy of this country, or Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, then the calculation has definitely shifted.

We have to put into context that this region is one of the biggest contributors to the world’s energy supplies. If this disruption is prolonged, it’s not just going to affect the region here; everybody is going to feel the consequences.

We’ve seen Qatar’s Defence Ministry strategy has shifted towards not just having missile detectors but also jets – that’s one of the reasons that we saw Iranian jets taken down.

This is showing us that the conflict itself is not winding down. It’s escalating and it could have deeper consequences for the region if it’s not stopped soon.

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· 14h ago

 (08:30 GMT)

Israel’s forced evacuation orders in Lebanon part of ‘strategy’ to put pressure on Hezbollah

By Zeina Khodr

Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon

The Israeli army has been doing what it said it would: Intensify and increase strikes against Hezbollah.

In the early hours of the morning, several strikes hit residential buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

In the past few hours, the Israeli military issued continuous forced evacuation orders, telling residents not only to leave areas in Beirut’s southern suburbs but also villages further north from the border across southern Lebanon. This is causing a huge displacement crisis.

This is part of Israel’s strategy to put pressure on Hezbollah’s support base, in the hope that civilians will, in turn, pressure Hezbollah. But Hezbollah remains defiant. Earlier today, the group claimed responsibility for at least two cross-border attacks, saying it launched armed drones towards Israeli military bases.

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· 14h ago

 (08:25 GMT)

Photos: Tehran hospital damaged after air raids14h ago

 (08:20 GMT)

Five killed, dozens wounded in attack on western Iran

At least five people have been killed and 25 injured in a US-Israeli attack on residential neighbourhoods in Hamadan, western Iran, Mehr news agency is reporting.

The report added that the strikes hit populated areas, causing civilian casualties.

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· 14h ago

 (08:15 GMT)

Israel’s defence minister says troops instructed to seize new positions in Lebanon

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz says he has instructed the army to take control of more positions in Lebanon.

“Netanyahu and I have approved for the [military] to advance and seize additional controlling areas in Lebanon to prevent firing on Israeli border settlements,” he said in a post on X.

He said Israel’s army “continues to operate with force against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon”.

The Israeli army said its forces launched a ground incursion into southern Lebanon to establish a “security zone”.

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· 14h ago

 (08:15 GMT)

Australia urges against panic buying of fuel over Iran war

Australia’s energy minister has urged motorists not to panic-buy fuel, as the widening US-Israeli war on Iran leads to concerns about global supply disruptions.

Chris Bowen said Australia holds 36 days of petrol, 34 days of diesel and 32 days of jet fuel in reserve – the highest levels in more than a decade.

“There is no need for panic buying. That will just make the situation worse,” he said.

Oil prices climbed for a third straight day on Tuesday amid mounting fears that attacks across the Middle East could choke supply routes. Iran has responded with attacks on energy infrastructure in Gulf states and tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

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· 14h ago

 (08:10 GMT)

France to send anti-drone, antimissile systems to Cyprus after base targeted: Report

France plans to ⁠send antimissile and ⁠anti-drone systems to Cyprus after a British airbase there was targeted by drones, ⁠the semiofficial Cyprus ⁠News ⁠Agency (CNA) is reporting.

The Akrotiri base, southwest of Limassol, is one of two bases the UK has retained in the former ⁠colony since independence in 1960.

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· 14h ago

 (08:05 GMT)

US-Israeli strike kills 13 Iranian soldiers

Thirteen Iranian soldiers have been killed in a US-Israeli strike on a military base in Kerman province, according to the Iranian army.

The attack targeted the base in the south of the country.

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· 15h ago

 (08:00 GMT)

Huge explosion rocks eastern Tehran, IRGC reports new strikes across GCC

By Tohid Asadi

Reporting from Tehran

A huge explosion was heard, and thick smoke is rising from the eastern part of Tehran.

The government has not given any information about what was hit.

We know that the IRGC has suffered major blows, particularly following the killing of the supreme leader. The attacks have also targeted the IRGC’s commander-in-chief and more than 10 other senior military figures. That is a huge blow.

Also, several headquarters and centres linked to them across Tehran and in other cities have been attacked.

From the early hours of Saturday’s attacks up until now, we have continued to receive statements from the IRGC outlining developments and confirming what they describe as ongoing retaliatory strikes.

Last night, the IRGC said it had attacked a military base in Kuwait and a gathering of US military forces in Dubai. On the ground, we see not only military headquarters and political centres being attacked, but also citizens being affected.

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· 15h ago

 (07:55 GMT)

What is the US War Powers Act?

The US Congress is poised to vote later this week on a resolution that could force President Trump to halt military action against Iran.

The War Powers Act limits a US president’s ability to send troops overseas without the clear approval of Congress.

Several members of Congress, many of them Democrats, have described Trump’s decision to launch a war against Iran as illegal. Trump and senior government officials insist that they had to act due to an imminent threat.

As of Tuesday, the civilian death toll from the joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran has surpassed 550.

According to the law, the president “shall in every possible instance consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement is clearly indicated by the circumstances”.

It also requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of any such deployments of US forces without a prior declaration of war from Congress, with a justification for the constitutional and legislative authority for the actions.

Trump has argued that the military operation against Iran is limited to aerial strikes and that there are no ground forces involved.

It’s the second time in less than a year that members of Congress have raised major concerns about the US military operation against Iran, absent Congressional approval.

In June 2025, the US also launched deadly strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, as well as several targets in the Iranian capital Tehran, killing hundreds of people. 15h ago

 (07:50 GMT)

Safety warnings to public in GCC countries

By Zein Basravi

Reporting from Doha

Iran may continue to say that it is not at war with these GCC countries, but the fact is that it doesn’t mind putting these populations in the firing line.

Today, on the fourth day of this conflict, we are hearing that the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia is telling Americans in the country to avoid the embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility.

What we understand is that two drones were used to attack the embassy. There was a limited fire that broke out in a diplomatic compound, and minor material damage. But we’re hearing that targeting of sites is continuing in parts of Saudi Arabia.

In Bahrain, too, the IRGC announced it was carrying out another large-scale drone and missile attack. Twenty drones and three missiles hit their intended targets, according to the IRGC.

Overnight, here in Qatar, we heard loud booms from what the Defence Ministry confirmed were the interceptions of two ballistic missiles that were headed in the direction of the country.

The Interior Ministry put out a statement urging the public to remain indoors and leave their residences strictly in cases of urgent necessity.

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· 15h ago

 (07:45 GMT)

Iran holds mass funeral for people killed in school attack

Iran has held a mass funeral ceremony for 165 people, including students, killed in an attack on a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab.

Iranian state television showed thousands of people filling a public square. From the stage, a woman who said she was the mother of “Atena” held up a printed image of portraits that she called “a document of American crimes”.

The crowd erupted into chants of “Death to America”, “Death to Israel”, and “No surrender”.

Iranian state media has blamed Israel for targeting the school. An Israeli military spokesperson said on Sunday that he was not aware of any Israeli or US attacks in the area.

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· 15h ago

 (07:40 GMT)

Satellite images show damage at Iran’s Natanz nuclear site

The US and Israel carried out two new strikes on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility over the weekend, according to Mohammad Eslami, Tehran’s atomic energy chief.

Satellite imagery captured on Sunday and Monday shows the aftermath of the attack on the Natanz nuclear complex.

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· 15h ago

 (07:35 GMT)

Magnitude 4.3 earthquake strikes Gerash in Iran

A ⁠magnitude 4.3 earthquake has ⁠struck the Gerash ⁠region in Iran, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake ⁠was at a ⁠depth of ⁠10km (6.21 ⁠miles), ⁠USGS said.

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· 15h ago

 (07:32 GMT)

Fuel tank at Oman’s Duqm port hit in drone attack

Oman’s new agency is reporting that a fuel tank at the country’s Duqm commercial port has been hit in a drone attack.

There were no casualties, and the material damage was contained, it said.

It is the latest attack on the facility located in the Al Wusta governorate in central Oman since the start of the conflict.

On Sunday, another attack involving two drones wounded an expatriate worker.

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· 15h ago

 (07:31 GMT)

Explosions in Iran’s Isfahan and Shiraz

Iran’s Mehr News Agency is reporting that explosions have been heard in the Iranian cities of Isfahan and Shiraz.

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· 15h ago

 (07:30 GMT)

Who runs Iran now?

Following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has announced the formation of a three-member transitional council to handle state duties.

Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, a member of the powerful constitutional watchdog, was appointed on Sunday to the interim transitional council, whose other two members are the country’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Court Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei.

According to Article 111 of the Iranian constitution, the transitional council will govern the country until an 88-member panel, called the Assembly of Experts, chooses a new supreme leader after the almost 37-year rule of Khamenei was cut short in a deadly US-Israeli attack on Saturday.

While the leadership council assumes its governance role in the interim, the Assembly of Experts “must, as soon as possible”, pick a new supreme leader, according to the Iranian constitution.

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· 15h ago

 (07:25 GMT)

Qatar Airways flights remain suspended

The Qatari carrier said flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of the country’s airspace.

“Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace,” it said.

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· 15h ago

 (07:20 GMT)

Photos: Israeli strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh

15h ago

 (07:15 GMT)

Selection of new supreme leader ‘will not be lengthy’, Iranian official says

A member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, which will elect a new supreme leader, says the process “will not be lengthy”, according to the ISNA agency.

Ali Moalemi said the members of the Assembly of Experts have sworn that in choosing the new leader, “personal preferences” for individuals or political and party factions would “not be a factor” and that they will vote based on their judgement and in accordance with religious principles.

“The Assembly of Experts will, as in the past, select a personality like the martyred Leader of the Revolution,” he said, referring to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Saturday.

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· 15h ago

 (07:10 GMT)

US embassy in Israel tells citizens it is unable to assist in evacuations

The US Embassy in Jerusalem has notified its citizens in Israel that it is “not in a position” to help them evacuate the country.

In a security alert posted online, the embassy provides information on shuttle buses that Israel’s Ministry of Tourism is operating to the Taba border crossing with Egypt.

“If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety. The information is provided as a courtesy to those wishing to leave Israel,” the embassy said.

The embassy also informs US citizens that to be included on the buses travelling to the Egyptian border, they must register with the Tourism Ministry via its “evacuation form”.

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· 15h ago

 (07:05 GMT)

China denies reports of military support to Iran

By Katrina Yu

Reporting from Beijing, China

China imports about 70 percent of its oil and about half of that comes through the Strait of Hormuz. Much of it is from Iran, but also from other countries in the region, including Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

China has been watching the situation escalate with much concern.

It has strongly condemned the actions of the US and Israel, saying the recent nuclear negotiations [with Iran] did seem to be on track. China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, spoke on Monday to the foreign ministers of Oman, Iran, and France, and concluded that the US and Israel intentionally derailed this diplomacy, sending the region into what he called an irreversible state.

China continues to call for a ceasefire and a return to the negotiating table.

Let’s not forget China is one of the major economies that supports Iran, at least economically. Beijing has called the Iranian government a friend and has made it clear that it supports Iran’s right to defend its territory and interests. However, Wang Yi did not endorse any retaliation from Iran, and when asked about it, China’s Foreign Ministry denied supplying weapons or helping Iran militarily. It says its support only comes down to political and moral backing.

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· 16h ago

 (07:00 GMT)

US embassy in Kuwait closes ‘until further notice’

The US embassy in Kuwait has suspended operations until further notice, citing the “ongoing regional tensions”.

“We have cancelled all regular and emergency consular appointments. We will communicate when the embassy returns to normal operations,” it said.

The closure follows days of mounting casualties and military incidents, with six US soldiers killed and three jets crashing in Kuwait in what the US military described as an “apparent friendly fire incident”.

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· 16h ago

 (06:55 GMT)

Iranian media say 5 IRGC soldiers killed in Bushehr

The ISNA agency is reporting that five members of the IRGC’s air force and navy have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on the cities of Jam and Dir in the central province of Bushehr.

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· 16h ago

 (06:50 GMT)

Canada’s embassy in Riyadh announces closure

The mission said it is closing today “due to the current security situation” and said all in-person appointments are cancelled through Friday, March 6.

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· 16h ago

 (06:45 GMT)

Washington war rhetoric will ‘increase suspicion’ Israel leading US foreign policy: Analyst

Henry Ensher, former US ambassador and deputy assistance secretary of state, said the rhetoric emerging from Washington, DC, that there was a “need to strike Iran because Israel was going to do so”, will feed public opinion that US foreign policy is beholden to “what Israel wants”.

“Some people would go so far as to say that Israel is leading our Middle East policy,” Ensher said.

Rhetoric from US officials as to the rationale for striking Iran will “play into those suspicions here and have some effect”, he said, adding that Washington is likely to change that narrative.

“I suspect we will see the administration talking more about the US national interests and why it was necessary to act on the basis of those interests, going forward,” Ensher said.

“We are in a wider regional war already,” he added.

-defence

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· 16h ago

 (06:40 GMT)

Democrats say any threat posed by Iran was to Israel, not the US

Democratic members of the US Congress have criticised claims by the Trump administration that the strikes on Iran were justified because of the threat posed by Tehran to Washington, saying any threat posed was to Israel.

Mark Warner, a Democratic senator from Virginia and vice-chair of the select committee on intelligence, told reporters after a briefing that there was “no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians”.

“There was a threat to Israel. If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory,” he said.

Joaquin Castro, a House Representative from Texas, criticised remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that “it was abundantly clear that if Iran came under attack by … the United States or Israel or anyone, they were going to respond … against the United States.”

“Secretary Rubio’s remarks indicate that Israel put US forces in harm’s way by insisting on attacking Iran,” said Castro. “And the administration was complicit – joining their war instead of talking them down.”

He continued: “This is unacceptable of the President, and unacceptable of a country that calls itself our ally.”

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· 16h ago

 (06:35 GMT)

‘This could turn into a big political problem’ for Trump

By Rosiland Jordan

Reporting from Washington DC, US

President Donald Trump campaigned for re-election in 2024, stating that he would not be starting any new wars and that he certainly was not interested in being entangled in any new conflicts in the Middle East.

And yet, for the second time in less than a year, there have been massive air strikes on Iranian targets – this time including the deployment of tens of thousands of US forces in the region.

This is a question that the president is going to have to address to the US public.

New polling indicates that the majority of US people disapprove of going to war against Iran. There has not been a very public buildup of an argument for why US forces have been deployed.

Certainly, now with the loss of six US military members, there has not been an explanation of why they are being asked to put their lives on the line.

This could turn into a big political problem for the US president if more explanations are not forthcoming as quickly as possible. 16h ago

 (06:30 GMT)

Why Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz is important

The US and Israel’s war with Iran has spilled over into the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, prompting a surge in oil prices.

On Monday, an IRGC commander declared the strait was “closed” and that any vessel attempting to pass through would be set “ablaze”.

As of Tuesday, oil prices have risen for a third day, with the Brent crude future nearing $80. There are fears that the price of a barrel of oil could go up to $100 in the coming days if the war continues.

The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and Oman, is one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, with roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies passing through it.

Any disruptions there will further send crude prices soaring and raise fears of a regional escalation.

The majority of the crude oil shipped through the Strait of Hormuz goes to Asia, with China, India, Japan, and South Korea accounting for nearly 70 percent of shipments, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Apart from oil, energy products facing supply pressures include jet fuel and liquefied natural gas.

Some 30 percent of Europe’s supply of jet fuel originates from or transits via the strait, while one-fifth of the global supply of LNG passes through the waterway.

Click here to read more.

[Al Jazeera]

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· 16h ago

 (06:25 GMT)

US Embassy in Iraq orders government employees to leave country

The diplomatic mission has updated its travel advisory in Iraq, ordering nonemergency US government employees to leave the country “due to security reasons”.

It also said US government personnel in Baghdad were prohibited from using the city’s international airport over security risks.

As we’ve reported, State Department official Mora Namdar said on X earlier that US citizens should “DEPART NOW” from more than a dozen countries using available commercial transportation “due to serious safety risks”.

These are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

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· 16h ago

 (06:20 GMT)

Photos: The aftermath of air attacks at Niloofar Square in Tehran16h ago

 (06:15 GMT)

‘Major impact’ if Iran places sea mines in Strait of Hormuz: Analyst

Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Mulroy told Al Jazeera that the US is focused on destroying the Iranian navy due to the threats posed to shipping in the Hormuz Strait, particularly from sea mines.

“The maritime issue has become very critical,” Mulroy said.

Noting the vast amount of oil and gas that transits the strait, Mulroy said the placing of sea mines by the Iranian navy could have a long-term effect.

“Not being able to use the strait would not only stop the flow to countries around the world that rely on it [for energy] but also it does devastating actions against the Gulf countries,” he said.

“If they can lay sea mines in any part of it, which is not very difficult, it could take multiple months to be completely clear and to convince insurance companies to allow and insure vessels to go through those straits,” he added.

“It could have a major impact for the long term if that were to actually happen. And we’ve already seen them close it by simply shooting at ships going through.”

Oil tanker attacked in Strait of Hormuz as Iran strikes Oman port

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· 16h ago

 (06:10 GMT)

US cancels all consular services in Saudi Arabia after embassy attack

The US Embassy in Riyadh has announced the cancellation of all its services across several missions in Saudi Arabia.

All routine and emergency appointments are cancelled on Tuesday, it said, adding that a “shelter in place” is in effect at its several missions in the kingdom, including Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran, according to the embassy statement posted on X.

“Avoid the Embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility,” it added.

“We advise all US citizens to maintain a personal safety plan,” the embassy said.

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· 16h ago

 (06:05 GMT)

Investors in Asia ‘extremely worried’ by Iran conflict

By Katrina Yu

Reporting from Beijing, China

Markets have closed for the morning, and it seems that investors here are still extremely worried about the conflict, especially since there seems to be no short-term solution and it could go on for weeks, if not months.

This is concerning to investors in Asia, especially those selling off stocks related to energy, aviation, shipping and transport. We’ve also seen South Korea, in particular, taking the biggest hit in its financial market. It closed in the morning down about 5 percent. In Japan, the market was down, the Nikkei at minus 2.3 percent.

Interestingly, in China, we saw a decline of about 2 percent on Monday, but on Tuesday, it’s kind of even, at just under by half a percent in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

This could be because the government is stepping in to stabilise the markets before the big “Two sessions” meetings later this week. But it also could be related to the fact that China has been stockpiling its own reserves of oil, in particular, crude oil from Iran. There aren’t any clear figures, but it’s reported that China could have up to three months’ worth of stock, giving it some time to make up the shortfall if the Strait of Hormuz is indefinitely disrupted.

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· 17h ago

 (06:00 GMT)

Witkoff says Iran rejected US demand for 10 years of no enrichment

Steven Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy in the recent nuclear talks with Iran, says the Iranian side opened the negotiations by asserting their “inalienable right to enrich all the nuclear fuel they possessed”.

“We, of course, responded, ‘The president feels that we have the inalienable right to stop you,'” he told Fox News.

He said he was “flummoxed” by the Iranian “starting point” and thought at that point: “We are really in for it now.”

The US envoy said there were discussions on 10 years of no uranium enrichment for Iran, and Washington pledged to pay for the fuel. “And it was flatly rejected,” he said.

“They had no notion of anything other than retaining enrichment for the purpose of weaponising,” Witkoff added.

There was no immediate comment from Iran on the US envoy’s comments, but Tehran has previously denied seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.

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· 17h ago

 (05:50 GMT)

Israel says air force is continuing to strike Iranian air defence system

Israel’s air force is carrying out multiple operations against Iran’s air defence system and eliminating several of its forces, according to Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee.

In a post on X, Adraee said Israeli aircraft targeted several personnel who were operating Iran’s defence systems, including its radar systems as well as missile launchers.

He also said Israel’s Air Force attacked sites affiliated with Iran’s ballistic missile launch platforms.

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· 17h ago

 (05:45 GMT)

How is the Trump administration justifying the attacks on Iran?

By Rosiland Jordan

Reporting from Washington DC, US

What we have been hearing from the Trump administration – from President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth – is a variety of reasons why the US launched its attack on Iran.

There is no one reason why. But everything has been offered from trying to neutralise Iran’s ability to support groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as following the lead from Israel, and trying to deal with the ongoing threat the US says comes from Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Criticism has fallen largely along partisan lines.

Democrats say the US military operation against Iran is illegal because Congress has not given its official authorisation of military action. That’s required by the US Constitution.

Republicans say there was and is an imminent threat from Iran, and so the Trump administration was correct to act.

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· 17h ago

 (05:40 GMT)

Prolonged war could cause inflation spike: European Central Bank

A persistent fall ⁠in oil and gas supplies from the Middle East region amid a sustained war against Iran could cause a spike in inflation and a sharp ⁠drop in output in ⁠the eurozone, Philip Lane, European Central Bank chief economist, has told the Financial Times.

The magnitude of the shock from the Middle East would depend “on the breadth and duration of the conflict”, Lane said.

He cited an analysis the ECB published in 2023 that highlighted “a substantial spike in energy-driven inflation and a sharp drop in output” if a conflict in the Middle East led to a “persistent drop in energy supplies” as well as “disruptions in regional economic activity”, the FT reported.

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· 17h ago

 (05:35 GMT)

UN ‘deeply alarmed’ by attacks on civilians, schools and hospitals

Top UN officials are warning about a “serious” threat to children following the rapidly escalating military operations in Iran and across the region.

“We are deeply alarmed by attacks on civilians, including civilian infrastructures, schools, and hospitals. Schools and hospitals must not be attacked,” special representatives of the UN secretary-general, Vanessa Frazier and Najat Maalla M’jid, said in a joint statement.

They called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, stressing that “maximum restraint is imperative, and full compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law must be ensured at all times by all parties”.

Iranian officials say an attack on a primary school in Minab killed at least 165 people, while nine hospitals in the country have been reported as seriously damaged.

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· 17h ago

 (05:30 GMT)

‘Substantial next wave’ of US attacks to target Iranian ballistic capabilities: Analyst

Michael Mulroy, former US deputy assistant secretary of defence for the Middle East, says Washington is expected to launch a second wave of attacks focusing on ballistic missile arsenals.

“We are probably at the earlier phase of this campaign. We’ve taken out a lot of their air and missile defence systems, which is what you do first, so you are allowed to get air dominance,” Mulroy told Al Jazeera.

“And apparently we are about to see a very substantial next wave, which I think is going to go after arsenals of the ballistic missiles and everything that the US and Israel want to deplete as much as possible before this comes to an end,” he said. 17h ago

 (05:25 GMT)

Strikes hit downtown Tehran, near Iran’s old parliament building: Report

Iran’s Shargh newspaper is reporting that an area near Iran’s old parliament building has been hit by air raids.

The report said the attack took place near the intersection of Valiasr and Jami Streets in downtown Tehran, where several cultural sites and museums are located.

There were no immediate reports on casualties from the strike.

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· 17h ago

 (05:20 GMT)

South Korean shares plunge more than 5% as global markets unsettled amid Middle East turmoil

South Korean stocks have slumped more than 5 percent as instability in the Middle East is unsettling global markets.

The benchmark Kospi index dropped 5.2 percent to 5,922.30 in afternoon trading.

The index has been the best performer globally since the start of the year, surging about 50 percent on the back of a rally in tech firms, including Samsung and SK hynix.

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· 17h ago

 (05:15 GMT)

Israel launches more attacks on Beirut

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting new Israeli raids on the Haret Hreik area of Beirut’s Dahiyeh suburbs.

This comes after at least two attacks on Dahiyeh in the past hour.

The Israeli military has also issued a forced displacement order for the al-Hadath neighbourhood in Dahiyeh.

Translation: Violent Israeli raids on Beirut’s southern suburbs.

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· 17h ago

 (05:10 GMT)

US military claims IRGC ‘command and control facilities’ destroyed

The US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, said its forces destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, air defence installations, as well as missile and drone launch sites and airfields.

CENTCOM provided no evidence for its claims, made on social media.

“We will continue to take decisive action against imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime,” it added.

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· 17h ago

 (05:05 GMT)

People sleeping on Beirut’s streets as Israel bombing forces thousands to flee their homes

By Heidi Pett

Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon

The strikes have been concentrated in the southern suburbs of Beirut in an area known as Dahiyeh, which is a collection of suburbs that traditionally have been home to more of the Shia population who live in the capital. It has been seen as a support base for Hezbollah.

What has resulted from that is a wave of displacement. We’ve seen civilians making their way out of there from the second these strikes began.

Traffic was just absolutely at a standstill coming out of there, and you are seeing the results of it, with people sleeping on the streets.

This morning, schoolchildren in Beirut will be waking up — if indeed they slept — as it has been a very loud night in the capital.

They are not heading to school because the schools in Beirut, many of them, are closed in order to take in the thousands of people who have been displaced from the southern suburbs. 18h ago

 (05:00 GMT)

If you’re just joining us

Let’s bring you up to speed:

· Saudi authorities say two drones have struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, causing a “limited fire” and minor damage.

· US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told congressional leaders that Washington attacked Iran because it was aware Israel would strike Iran and that American forces would likely face Iranian retaliation as a result.

· Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Rubio’s comments show there was “no imminent threat” and the US entered the war “on behalf of Israel”.

· Iran continues attacks on US assets in the region, claiming raids on bases in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, while Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it attacked an Israeli airbase in northern Israel.

· Israel has bombed Beirut’s southern suburbs after issuing displacement notices for some 59 areas in Lebanon.

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· 18h ago

 (04:50 GMT)

Oil prices rise for a third day

Oil prices have risen for a third day as the widening US-Israeli conflict with Iran and threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz heightened fears of supply disruptions.

Brent crude future was at $79.44 a barrel, up $1.70 or 2.2 percent, by 04:00 GMT on Tuesday, the Reuters news agency reported.

On Monday, the contract surged to as high as $82.37, its highest since January 2025, though it pared those gains to settle 6.7 percent higher.

US West Texas Intermediate crude also jumped $1.17 or 1.6 percent, to $72.40 a barrel. In the previous session, the contract initially climbed to its highest level since June 2025 before sliding back to still settle up 6.3 percent.

“With no quick de-escalation in sight, the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed and Iran showing a willingness to target energy infrastructure in the region, upside risks remain, and they grow the longer the conflict drags on,” Tony Sycamore, IG market analyst, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

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· 18h ago

 (04:40 GMT)

Iran’s Araghchi says US launched strikes ‘on behalf of Israel’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has weighed in on his US counterpart’s justification for attacking Tehran.

“Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian ‘threat’,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X.

“Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters. American people deserve better and should take back their country,” he added.

Rubio told reporters that the US was aware Israel was going to attack Iran and joined in because Washington felt that Tehran would retaliate against UA assets in the region.

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· 18h ago

 (04:35 GMT)

WATCH: Why killing Khamenei isn’t the death of Islamic Republic

US officials and Iranian opposition groups have celebrated the killing of Iran’s supreme leader as the end of the Islamic Republic.

But Al Jazeera’s Soraya Lennie explains why they’re not the same thing.

Why killing Khamenei isn't the death of Iran's Islamic Republic

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· 18h ago

 (04:30 GMT)

Hezbollah claims attack on Israeli airbase

The Lebanese armed group says it launched an attack on the Ramat David airbase in northern Israel.

It said it targeted radar sites and control rooms at the base by deploying “a swarm of drones” at dawn today.

Hezbollah said it carried out the attack in retaliation against Israel’s deadly strikes on several areas of Lebanon.

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· 18h ago

 (04:25 GMT)

Iran claims attack on US airbase in Bahrain

The IRGC says it has carried out a “massive drone and missile attack” on a US airbase in the Sheikh Isa area of Bahrain this morning.

It said it deployed 20 drones and three missiles, “destroying the main command and headquarters building of the US airbase and setting its fuel tanks on fire”.

There was no immediate comment from Bahrain.

We’ll bring you more when we have it.

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· 18h ago

 (04:20 GMT)

Russia likely to benefit from ‘distraction’ of Iran war

By James Bays

Diplomatic Editor

The Russians, particularly, I think, probably this as a good distraction from what’s been going on with the pressure of all of the world on them, and particularly the European powers on them.

The focus is off.

President Putin can focus again on Ukraine without the Europeans being able to say very much at the moment.

Remember the case the Europeans made: Is that you [Russia] breached international law? You invaded another country. You launched a war that you chose to launch when it wasn’t justified by international law and a UN Security Council resolution.

Well, you can make exactly the same case against the United States and Donald Trump, given what’s just happened.

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· 18h ago

 (04:15 GMT)

Israel bombs Beirut’s southern suburbs

Our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic are reporting an Israeli raid on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital.

We will bring you more when we have it.

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· 18h ago

 (04:10 GMT)

Closure of Hormuz Strait raises fears of soaring oil prices

By Megha Bahree

Oil prices rose above $79.40 per barrel on Monday, after hitting $73 per barrel on Friday amid rising tensions in the lead-up to Saturday’s joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Vessel tracking service Kpler is reporting that commercial operators, major oil companies, and insurers have effectively withdrawn from the Strait of Hormuz.

Cormack McGarry, the director of maritime intelligence and security services at Control Risks, said that a total shutdown of the strait by Iran would mean it was “tightening the noose around its own neck”.

“If they attack shipping, they are encouraging the Gulf states to join the war, and it’s a big step for Iran to go there,” he said. “The idea they could affect a long-term sustained closure of the strait is completely unlikely,” he added. “I’m more worried for regional supply chains.”

Read more here.

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· 18h ago

 (04:05 GMT)

Israel issues new displacement orders for 59 areas in Lebanon

Israel has issued forced evacuation orders, with an “urgent warning” to residents living in several areas in Lebanon to flee immediately.

In a post on X, the Israel military’s Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, listed at least 59 areas, mostly in southern Lebanon, as possible targets due to what he described as “Hezbollah activities”.

“For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately, and stay away from the villages by at least 1,000 metres [0.6 miles] outside the village,” Adraee wrote on X.

“Anyone present near Hezbollah elements, their facilities, and their combat means is endangering their life. Protect your safety and the safety of your loved ones and evacuate immediately,” he added.

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· 19h ago

 (04:00 GMT)

Iranian state media confirms attack on IRIB broadcaster

The Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) says parts of the IRIB headquarters in Tehran have been hit by US and Israeli strikes.

Due to “precautions” taken by IRIB, the signal to broadcast news has not been affected, and the operation is still ongoing, ISNA said in a post on X.

The Shahid Motahhari government complex, near Vali Asr and Imam Khomeini Streets in downtown Tehran, was also targeted this morning, ISNA said in a separate post on X.

Several blasts were also heard in the centre, north and west of the capital, ISNA added.

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· 19h ago

 (03:55 GMT)

What has the IRGC said about the Strait of Hormuz?

As we’ve been reporting, the IRGC has announced it is closing the vital waterway of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil consumption passes.

We now have the full comments from Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabari, the adviser to the IRGC commander.

“The price of oil has reached $81, and the world is certainly waiting for it to reach at least $200. The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Our heroes in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and the Army will set fire to any ships that wish to pass through this strait,” he said on state television.

“We’ll also target their oil pipelines in the region, and we will not allow oil exports from this region until we put pressure on the enemy. The Americans have debts of hundreds of thousands of billions of dollars, and they are thirsty for the region’s oil. They will not get a single drop.”

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· 19h ago

 (03:50 GMT)

Drone shot down near Erbil airport

The Rudaw news outlet says a drone has been shot down near Erbil international airport in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq.

Footage posted by the outlet, verified by Al Jazeera, showed a small fire as smoke rose near the airport.

There was no immediate comment from Iraqi authorities.

Translation: Dropping of an object near Erbil airport, and citizens are saying it’s a drone

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· 19h ago

 (03:45 GMT)

Israel intercepts drones from Lebanon

The Israeli military said it has successfully intercepted two drones launched from Lebanon.

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· 19h ago

 (03:40 GMT)

Vance says Trump will not let US get ‘into a multi-year conflict’

US Vice President JD Vance has dismissed critics who say Trump has broken his campaign promise to avoid “endless” foreign wars.

Speaking on Fox News, Vance argued that Trump’s decision to attack Iran was different from the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“What’s different about this is that the president has clearly defined what he wants to accomplish, and there’s just no way Donald Trump is going to allow this country to get into a multi-year conflict with no clear end in sight and no clear objective,” he said.

That objective is to ensure Iran does not get a nuclear weapon, Vance said.

Trump “will not let the country go to war unless there is a clearly defined objective”, and “it means we are not going to get into the problems we’ve had with Iraq and Afghanistan”, he said.

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· 19h ago

 (03:30 GMT)

Saudi forces intercept 8 drones near Riyadh and Al-Kharj

Saudi Arabia has intercepted and destroyed at least eight drones heading towards Riyadh and the nearby city of Al-Kharj, according to the country’s Defence Ministry.

There were no additional details.

Early on Tuesday, the ministry confirmed that the US Embassy in Riyadh was subjected to at least two drone attacks, resulting in “a limited fire and minor material damage” to a building inside the embassy complex.

Translation: Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, Major-General Turki Al-Maliki: Interception and destruction of 8 drones near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj.

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· 19h ago

 (03:20 GMT)

Netanyahu says ‘this is not an endless war’

The Israeli prime minister says the war against Iran is a “gateway for peace” in the region, while downplaying concerns that the US and Israel could become bogged down in a longer conflict despite promises of a swift and easy campaign.

Netanyahu told Fox News that the current conflict could pave the way for further deals normalising ties between Israel and countries in the region.

“We [Netanyahu and Trump] brought forward the Abraham Accords, which was four peace treaties with four Arab countries. And now, working together against Iran, we will be able to bring many, many more peace treaties,” he said.

“This is not an endless war, this is a gateway to peace. It’s the exact opposite of what people are saying,” he added.

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· 19h ago

 (03:15 GMT)

US cancels all visa appointments in Pakistan

The US Embassy in Islamabad has announced the cancellation of all visa appointments, citing the “current security situation” in the country.

The order covers the embassy in Islamabad, as well as the consulates in Lahore and Karachi, according to the US Embassy.

It said the cancellation will be effective until Friday, March 6.

On Sunday, at least 10 people were reported killed when security personnel fired on demonstrators during the storming of the Karachi consulate, following reports of the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israel strikes.

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· 19h ago

 (03:10 GMT)

US troops fired on protesters storming consulate in Karachi: Report

The Reuters news agency is reporting that US Marines opened fire on Pakistani protesters during the storming of the Karachi consulate over the weekend.

The agency cited two US officials, and its report marks the first confirmation that Marines were involved in firing at the protesters.

The officials told Reuters that it was unclear whether the rounds fired by Marines struck or killed anyone. They also did not know whether shots were also fired by others protecting the mission, including private security guards and local police.

At least 10 people were killed during the protest, when demonstrators breached the compound’s outer wall.

A provincial government spokesman, Sukhdev Assardas Hemnani, said “security” personnel had opened fire, without specifying their affiliation. People run after police fire tear gas to disperse a protest outside the US Consulate General in Karachi, following news that US and Israeli strikes on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei [Akhtar Soomro/Reuters]

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· 19h ago

 (03:05 GMT)

Israel issues more evacuation orders for southern Beirut

A spokesperson for the Israeli military has said that residents of the al-Ghubeiri and Haret Hreik areas in southern Beirut must evacuate ahead of incoming Israeli attacks.

“Warning to all residents present in the southern suburbs area, specifically in the buildings specified in the attached maps and the adjacent buildings to them in the following areas: al-Ghubeiri, Haret Hreik,” spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a social media post.

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· 20h ago

 (03:00 GMT)

Hezbollah says Israeli attacks cannot continue without response

Hezbollah has defended its recent missile attacks on Israel as a legitimate response to 15 months of “Israeli aggression against Lebanon” in violation of a ceasefire agreed on in 2024.

“All political and diplomatic efforts have failed to curb this aggression or compel Israel to implement the ceasefire agreement and its requirements,” the group said in a message on Telegram, calling strikes against Israel a “defensive act” and a “legitimate right”.

“We have repeatedly warned that aggression without a response cannot continue, and assassinations and destruction cannot continue,” the group said.

“What is required is to put an end to the aggression by all available means, with fervour and effective action,” it added.

The statement came after Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced “a ban on Hezbollah’s military activities” and said its role will be restricted “to the political sphere”.

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· 20h ago

 (02:45 GMT)

Rights group says at least 96 people killed in Iran on Monday

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) is reporting that at least 85 civilians and 11 military personnel have been killed following the joint US-Israeli strike in Iran in the last 24 hours.

The Washington, DC-based group said the latest figures take the total civilian death toll to at least 742 since the US-Israeli attacks began on February 28.

These include 176 children, it added.

Earlier, the Iranian Red Crescent Society put the death toll at 555 people.

Al Jazeera cannot independently verify the figures.

HRANA said the US-Israeli attacks hit a range of locations and infrastructure on Monday, including several military bases, two residential areas, and Shahid Bahonar Pier in Bandar Abbas.

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· 20h ago

 (02:40 GMT)

‘No appetite for negotiations’ in Iran amid ‘unprovoked’ war

Hassan Ahmadian, an associate professor at the University of Tehran, says US explanations for launching the war on Iran are “really vague” and have no basis in international law.

“Iran was attacked by the United States. Civilians are being bombed, school kids were bombed, hospitals are bombed. The world is watching what is happening… It’s a clear violation of international law. It’s unprovoked and unlawful.”

Ahmadian told Al Jazeera that there is no “appetite for negotiations” in Iran.

“Iran negotiated in good faith two times, and both times led to a war on the country,” he said, noting that the head of Iran’s National Security Council, Ali Larijani, has rejected Trump’s claim that the Iranians want to negotiate.

“After all, the country is under aggression – continuous – and the Israelis are starting carpet bombing in Tehran and other cities in the country,” he said. “In such a circumstance, strategic culture in Iran tells us that they will not negotiate. They will stand firm and fight back, and then after a ceasefire, they will see where things go.”

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· 20h ago

 (02:30 GMT)

Qatar intercepts vast majority of Iranian missiles and drones

Qatar’s Ministry of Defence says it has intercepted the vast majority of Iranian projectiles fired at the country since the attacks began – including all three cruise missiles, 98 of 101 ballistic missiles, 24 of 39 drones – and detected both SU-24 fighter jets.

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· 20h ago

 (02:25 GMT)

How much could the Iran war cost the US?

By Elizabeth Melimopoulos

Predicting the total cost of an ongoing military campaign is difficult, and experts say it is too early to say how much the new war might end up costing the US.

“The Pentagon has not published that information, and so we can only speculate…, but there’s a lot of moving pieces, and we can speculate on the cost of the individual weapons; we can speculate on the cost of the operations, the naval operations,” Christopher Peble, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, told Al Jazeera.

Reports by the Anadolou news agency estimate that the US may have spent roughly $779m during the first 24 hours of Operation Epic Fury. The pre-strike military build-up, including repositioning aircraft, deploying more than a dozen naval vessels and mobilising regional assets, is estimated to have cost an additional $630m.

According to the Center for New American Security, it costs approximately $6.5m a day to operate a carrier strike group, such as the USS Gerald R Ford.

But experts suggest the bigger concern may not be the financial sustainability, but the inventory.

“It is reasonable to speculate that the pace of operations right now, in terms of numbers of interceptions, could not continue indefinitely, certainly, and perhaps could not continue for more than several weeks,” Peble said.

Read more here.

An F/A-18E Super Hornet taxis the flight deck of the US Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in support of the Operation Epic Fury attack on Iran from an undisclosed location on Monday [US Navy/Handout via Reuters]

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· 20h ago

 (02:20 GMT)

US speaker says strikes on Iran ‘absolutely necessary for our defence’

As we’ve been reporting, top US officials have briefed Congress on the strikes against Iran, with Rubio telling reporters beforehand that Washington acted on an imminent threat – knowing Israel would strike Iran and that US forces would likely face Iranian retaliation as a result.

Republican lawmakers have backed that narrative.

“Because Israel was determined to act with or without the US, our commander in chief and the administration… had a very difficult decision to make,” House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters after the classified briefing.

“In my view, right now… our military and the commander in chief, he is presiding over the completion of an operation that was limited in scope, limited in its objective, and absolutely necessary for our defence. I think that operation will be wound up quickly,” Johnson said.

US’s Rubio tries to justify attacks on Iran as driven by self-defence

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· 20h ago

 (02:10 GMT)

Netanyahu claims Iran’s nuclear, missile sites would have been ‘immune’ to strikes ‘within months’

The Israeli prime minister has told Fox News that the US and Israel attacked Iran because Tehran’s ballistic missile and nuclear programmes would have become “immune” to strikes “within months”.

“The reason that we had to act now is that after we hit their nuclear sites and their ballistic missiles programme, you’d think they’d learn a lesson, but they didn’t. Because they’re unreformable, they’re totally fanatic about this, about the goal of destroying America. So they started building new sites, new places, underground bunkers, that would make their ballistic missiles programme and their atomic bomb programme immune within months,” said Netanyahu.

“If no action was taken now, no action could be taken in the future,” he added.

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· 21h ago

 (02:00 GMT)

Trump says US response to attacks on Riyadh embassy coming soon: Report

Kellie Meyer, a journalist for NewsNation, says Trump has told her, “You’ll be finding out very soon” what the response to the attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh will be.

Meyer added that Trump said he “doesn’t think boots on the ground will be necessary” in the war against Iran, after stating earlier in the day that he was not intimidated by the prospect of deploying US ground forces.

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· 21h ago

 (01:55 GMT)

Iraqi group claims attack on Erbil hotel housing US troops

We are getting reports of an attack in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdish region near the border with Iran.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for carrying out a drone attack on a hotel that it said housed US troops in Erbil.

A video clip posted on Telegram by the Iraqi Naya news agency showed a building on fire in Erbil. The post claimed that drones were launched by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq towards “occupation bases”.

We’ll bring you more when we have it.

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· 21h ago

 (01:50 GMT)

Australia says Iran hit base used by its troops near Dubai

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles says Iranian forces struck the Al Minhad airbase, where Australian troops are stationed, on the first night of the conflict.

He said all Australian troops are “safe and accounted for” and that about 100 of them are stationed across the Middle East.

Most of them are based in the United Arab Emirates, he added.

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· 21h ago

 (01:45 GMT)

Israel bombs Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar TV in Beirut

By Heidi Pett

Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon

Just a short while ago, in the southern Beirut suburb known as Dahiyeh, we saw another round of Israeli strikes after Israeli media said the military was going to target the building that houses al-Manar TV, which is a local station here, affiliated with Hezbollah.

We understand that has indeed happened, but the station is back on air, probably broadcasting from another location. This strike is, of course, just the latest in Lebanon. Over the 24 hours, we have seen multiple strikes, not just in Beirut, but also in southern Lebanon, and in the eastern Bekaa Valley towards the Syrian border. At least 52 people have been killed, 154 were injured, and thousands are displaced.

The Israeli military announced that they have killed the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organisation in an earlier strike on Beirut. They have also been saying that these strikes have been targeting senior members of Hezbollah, and they say they have killed the head of the intelligence wing as well. So far, we haven’t had confirmation of that from Hezbollah.

We continue to get reports of people stuck in southern Lebanon, trapped in traffic while trying to flee, after the forced evacuation orders from the Israeli military. This evening, residents of some 30 villages in the south were told that they needed to leave immediately for their own safety.

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· 21h ago

 (01:40 GMT)

Several flights to UAE, Saudi Arabia diverted: Monitor

Flight Radar says two Etihad Airlines flights bound for Abu Dhabi have been diverted to the Omani capital, Muscat, while an Emirates flight to Dubai appeared to be heading back to India’s Mumbai.

Several flights heading to Riyadh’s King Khalid airport are also in a holding position or are turning back to their origin, according to the monitor, following reports of an attack on the US Embassy there. 

The diversions came amid reports of ongoing retaliatory strikes from Iran targeting several areas in the Gulf region.

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· 21h ago

 (01:35 GMT)

Israeli society divided on Iran attacks

By Nida Ibrahim

Reporting from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank

It depends who you are talking to about Iran.

First of all, you have the Israeli army that has been saying it’s been prepared for all scenarios. It has called up around 100,000 reserves and that it was ready for most scenarios, including opening a front with Hezbollah and saying that they are even ready to head towards a ground invasion [of Iran].

But when you talk about the people in Israel, it all depends on how long this war lasts and how long they will stay in fortified areas, in shelters.

For example, in the northern areas of Israel, people spend around an hour inside these shelters, and if we compare that with the time during the last war with Iran, in June, the time that was spent in shelters by Israelis was relatively much, much less than they are having to stay in these areas right now.

That usually doesn’t play well with the Israeli public. A maintenance worker holds a mattress at an underground train station used as a bomb shelter in Ramat Gan, Israel, in 2025 [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters]

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· 21h ago

 (01:30 GMT)

UN says bombing Iranian school a violation of humanitarian law

UNESCO, the UN’s education agency, says the US-Israel bombing of an Iranian primary school on Saturday constitutes a grave violation of humanitarian law.

“The killing of pupils in a place dedicated to learning constitutes a grave violation of the protection afforded to schools under international humanitarian law,” it said in a statement.

More than 160 people, mostly students, died in the bombing, Iranian officials said.

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· 21h ago

 (01:27 GMT)

Two new blasts heard in Riyadh: Report

The Reuters news agency is reporting two new blasts in Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter after Saudi authorities confirmed a strike on the US Embassy in the city.

The agency cited two sources.

We’ll bring you more when we have it.

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· 21h ago

 (01:25 GMT)

US sends more refuelling aircraft, fighter jets to Middle East: Report

The US is bolstering its forces in the Middle East by deploying an additional 15 refuelling aircraft, according to the Israel Hayom news outlet.

These aircraft allow for air-to-air supply to fighter jets and other military aircraft without having to land, making fuel transfer faster.

Israel Hayom also reported that the refuelling aircraft were accompanied by fighter jets.

It did not say how many fighter jets were deployed.

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· 21h ago

 (01:20 GMT)

US urges citizens to immediately leave more than dozen Middle East countries

A senior State Department official has urged US citizens to immediately leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to safety risks.

Mora Namdar, the State Department’s assistant secretary for consular affairs, said US citizens should “DEPART NOW” from the following: Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, and Yemen.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Washington, DC, Patty Culhane, said the call to evacuate was “truly bizarre”, as the notice did not follow the “complex processes” the State Department has long had in place “to notify Americans in these places that they need to leave”.

“It’s not quite clear what this means, and exactly how Americans could leave the entire Middle East, since commercial traffic has been interrupted,” she said.

Read the full story here. Jordanian police deploy outside the US Embassy in Jordan’s capital, Amman, in 2021. The embassy announced earlier on Monday that its personnel had departed the site ‘due to a threat’ [File: Khalil Mazraawi/AFP]

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· 21h ago

 (01:15 GMT)

US Embassy in Saudi Arabia issues shelter in place notice

US authorities have urged Americans in several cities in Saudi Arabia to shelter in place and avoid the country’s embassy in Riyadh after the facility was struck by two drones.

“The US Mission to Saudi Arabia has issued a shelter in place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and are limiting non-essential travel to any military installations in the region – we recommend American citizens in the Kingdom to shelter in place immediately and avoid the Embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility,” the embassy said in a social media post.

As we’ve been reporting, Saudi authorities said the attack caused a “limited fire” and minor damage.

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· 21h ago

 (01:10 GMT)

Iran claims attack on US forces in Dubai

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps says its naval forces carried out a “complex attack with drones and missiles” on American forces in Dubai in the UAE.

The IRGC has also claimed a drone attack on the Arifjan base in Kuwait.

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· 21h ago

 (01:05 GMT)

Trump, Rubio lay out US objectives for Iran war

By Mike Hanna

Reporting from Washington, DC, US

President Trump has spoken for the first time live to the American public on the campaign against Iran.

His previous comments about this operation have been on prerecorded videos posted on his social webpage. But he held a medal ceremony at the White House, during which he addressed his decision to attack Iran and what the objectives were.

He said the aims were fourfold: destroying Iran’s missile capabilities and its capacity to produce new ones; “annihilating” the Iranian navy; ensuring Tehran can never obtain a nuclear weapon; and finally, ensuring it cannot arm and fund groups outside its borders.

We’ve also heard from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about another reason for this ongoing operation. He said Iran was hiding behind its missile batteries to continue to develop a nuclear weapon programme – a view the intelligence would have some issues with. Certainly, what it has stated publicly in recent months.

6

US’s Rubio tries to justify attacks on Iran as driven by self-defence

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· 22h ago

 (01:00 GMT)

Trump calls Iranian Kurdish leaders based in Iraq: Report

The Axios news outlet is reporting that the US president has spoken with the leaders of the two primary Kurdish factions in Iraq, Masoud Barazani and Bafel Talabani, a day after the joint US-Israel attacks on Iran.

The outlet noted that the factions have thousands of soldiers along the Iran-Iraq border and control strategic areas that could be significant as the war develops.

It said Iraq’s Kurds also have close ties to Iran’s Kurdish minority.

An unnamed source told Axios that the “calls were the culmination of months of behind-the-scenes lobbying by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu”.

Israel has had close security, military and intelligence ties with the Kurds in Syria, Iraq and Iran for decades.

“It is the general view, and certainly Netanyahu’s view, that the Kurds are going to come out of the woodwork… that they’re going to rise up,” one official was quoted as saying.

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· 22h ago

 (00:55 GMT)

Iran launches attack on US base in Kuwait

The IRGC says it has carried out a “new wave of attacks” on the Arifjan base hosting US troops in Kuwait, using 10 drones.

The drones successfully hit their targets, it claimed.

There was no immediate comment from Kuwait or the US.

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· 22h ago

 (00:50 GMT)

Heavy bombardment continues in Tehran

By Tohid Asadi

Reporting from Tehran, Iran

Starting from midnight in Tehran, we have been witnessing a continuous series of blasts in the capital.

We’re hearing the sound of multiple blasts across the city.

We also heard of reports of the IRIB state television complex being targeted. But there are no updates yet on casualties, and their television broadcast is still going on.

We also received reports that a building belonging to Iran’s Expediency Council has been targeted. The council is one of the most important parts of the political establishment.

The ongoing bombardments were heavier compared to the previous nights. There’s smoke in the air across the capital. There are also reports of heavy bombardment in other cities, including Karaj and Qom.

Over 600 people have already been reported killed across the country as a result of these strikes happening in the past few days. 22h ago

 (00:45 GMT)

UNESCO warns of destruction of heritage sites in the Middle East

The UN culture and education agency (UNESCO) has expressed “concern” over the protection of heritage sites amid the escalating war between Iran and joint US-Israeli forces.

The statement comes amid reports of major damage to the historic Golestan Palace in Tehran, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Golestan Palace was an official royal complex in Iran during the Qajar dynasty.

“UNESCO recalls that cultural property is protected under international law, notably the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, including its enhanced protection mechanism, as well as the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage,” the statement said.

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· 22h ago

 (00:40 GMT)

‘Iran does not seek war, but will not surrender sovereignty: Iran’s UN envoy

Even as Gulf countries unanimously condemn Iran for firing missiles and drones at their territories, Tehran’s envoy to the UN on Monday insisted that his government was not seeking a war and did not want escalation.

“Iran does not seek war. Iran does not seek escalation,” Amir-Saeid Iravani said, speaking in a media briefing at the UN headquarters in New York. “But Iran will not surrender its sovereignty.”

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· 22h ago

 (00:39 GMT)

US Embassy in Riyadh struck by two drones

Saudi authorities are reporting a “limited fire” at the US Embassy in Riyadh after it was struck by two drones.

“The US Embassy in Riyadh was subjected to an attack by two drones according to initial estimates, resulting in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building,” a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry said.

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· 22h ago

 (00:35 GMT)

Israeli police say 1 injured by missile shrapnel in Tel Aviv

Israeli authorities have said that a person has been injured by Iranian rocket shrapnel that fell in the Tel Aviv area.

The Israeli police have warned residents against approaching rocket impact sites or touching the remnants of munitions found on the ground.

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· 22h ago

 (00:30 GMT)

Qatar says missile interceptors remain ‘well-stocked’

The Qatari government has stated that the country retains ample supplies of Patriot interceptor missiles, despite having to use them repeatedly over the past three days to counter Iranian missiles.

“The inventory of Patriot interceptor missiles held by the Qatar Armed Forces has not been depleted and remains well-stocked. The Qatar Armed Forces have repeatedly demonstrated their capability to defend the nation against external threats and remain at full readiness to protect all citizens, residents, and visitors for as long as necessary,” Qatar’s international media office said in a statement.

The statement came after the Bloomberg news outlet reported that Qatar’s stocks of interceptor missiles were depleting. The media office said the report was “deeply irresponsible”.

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· 22h ago

 (00:24 GMT)

Fire at US Embassy in Riyadh after blast: Reuters

A fire has broken out at the US Embassy in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, following a blast there, Reuters has reported, citing two unnamed sources.

We’ll bring you more on this once we have more details.

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· 22h ago

 (00:20 GMT)

Kuwait says dealing with wave of Iranian missiles and drones

Kuwait says its armed forces are currently dealing with a wave of Iranian missiles and drones that have been detected in its airspace.

“The army affirms full readiness to deal with all threats to ensure the protection of the country’s lands and airspace, as well as the safety of citizens and residents.”

Earlier, the UAE also reported that its air defences were dealing with a barrage of missiles launched from Iran.

Multiple explosions were also heard over Doha, Qatar, early on Tuesday morning.

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· 22h ago

 (00:15 GMT)

Qatar says it intercepted ballistic missiles

The Qatari military has said it shot down two ballistic missiles targeting “several areas of the country” before they entered Qatar’s territory.

“The Ministry affirmed that the threat was dealt with immediately upon detection, in accordance with pre-approved operational plans, and that both missiles were intercepted before reaching Qatari territory,” a statement from the Defence Ministry reads.

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· 22h ago

 (00:10 GMT)

Qatar waives expired entry permits for a month amid tensions

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior says the country will waive expired visas or other entry permits by a month.

Qatar has temporarily closed its airspace since Saturday, when Iran started firing ballistic missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours, after the US and Israel began their bombing campaign against Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

With the airspace closed, Qatar Airways and other airlines have temporarily suspended operations in and out of Doha.

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· 22h ago

 (00:07 GMT)

WATCH: Iran strikes Gulf energy – Will GCC join the war?

Iran has escalated its response to US-Israeli strikes by hitting critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf – from LNG facilities in Qatar and refineries in Saudi Arabia to ports in Dubai and oil tankers in key shipping lanes.

This marks a dangerous shift from targeting US military assets to striking the energy lifelines of Gulf states that have tried to remain neutral in the conflict.

Analysts warn that these attacks could drag Gulf countries into direct confrontation with Iran, even as regional leaders emphasise diplomacy, de-escalation and restraint, while reassessing their security red lines.

· 22h ago

 (00:03 GMT)

A recap of recent developments

· Israeli forces are continuing their assault on Tehran, striking the IRIB state broadcaster, as the death toll from the joint Israel-US attacks surpasses 550 since Saturday.

· US President Donald Trump has said the military campaign against Iran could last about four weeks, pledging that Washington will do whatever it takes to destroy Tehran’s missile and nuclear capabilities.

· The US military has confirmed that at least six American troops have been killed in the fighting.

· Iran has struck energy infrastructure across the Gulf, sending global oil and gas prices sharply higher. Qatar’s state-owned petroleum company has suspended all liquefied natural gas production after two of its facilities were hit, while Saudi Arabia has shut its largest domestic oil refinery as a precautionary measure.

· Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil shipping passes, is now “closed” and warns any vessels attempting to pass through will be attacked.

· Iran continues to target sites across Israel, with the Israeli military reporting missile interceptions over West Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Eilat. At least 10 people have been killed since Saturday.

· In Lebanon’s Beirut, Israel has carried out heavy air strikes on Hezbollah strongholds after ordering forced evacuations for residents earlier on Monday. At least 52 people were killed and more than 150 others wounded, according to officials.

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· 23h ago

 (00:00 GMT)

Welcome to our coverage

Hello, and welcome to our continuing and extensive coverage of the US and Israeli conflict against Iran, which is rapidly expanding across the region.

Stay with us for the latest updates, reactions and analysis.

For key developments from Monday, March 2, go here.

ATTACHMENT “I” – FROM US POLITICS LIVE WITH SHRAI POPAT

US-ISRAEL WAR ON IRAN

Trump vows to continue ‘large-scale operations’ and details Iran objectives after refusing to rule out boots on the ground – live

Trump says the US is already ‘substantially ahead’ of its time projections after telling New York Post, ‘I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground’

Hegseth says US won’t get ‘bogged down’ in Iran

What is the legality of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran?

50m ago

'Killing terrorists is good for America': White House says 49 senior Iranian leaders killed in Operation Epic Fury

3h ago

Trump says US's mission in Iran 'substantially ahead'

3h ago

Trump details US objectives in Iran

3h ago

Iran with nuclear weapons would be an 'intolerable threat' to Middle East and US

3h ago

US continues to carry out 'large-scale operations' in Iran, Trump says

3h ago

'We are seeing the beginning of an all out war', says top House Democrat

3h ago

Social media showing US military aircraft shot down in 'friendly fire' incident

4h ago

Trump doesn't rule out possibility of US boots on ground in Iran

4h ago

Trump on Iran strikes: 'The big wave hasn’t even happened'

5h ago

New poll shows that only one in four Americans support military operation in Iran

5h ago

Hegseth says that destroying Iranian capabilities 'won't happen overnight'

6h ago

Hegseth acknowledges fourth US service member killed in action

6h ago

Hegseth chides media: 'This is not Iraq, this is not endless'

6h ago

Hegseth: 'We didn't start this war, but under president Trump, we're finishing it'

7h ago

Pentagon to brief media this morning on Trump's Iran strikes

8h ago

Democrats demand immediate vote in Congress to limit Trump's war on Iran

President Donald Trump speaks about Iran at White House.

View image in fullscreen

President Donald Trump speaks about Iran at White House. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

Shrai Popat (now); Lucy Campbell and Tom Ambrose (earlier)

Mon 2 Mar 2026 14.25 EST

From 3h ago

12.00 EST

Trump details US objectives in Iran

Trump claims the objectives of the operation in Iran are “clear”.

They include “destroying Iran’s missile capabilities” and “annihilating their navy”, as well as preventing them from ever having nuclear weapons.

He adds that the country “cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside their borders”.

Trump then goes on to cite the apparent lack of progress in diplomatic negotiations as further justification for the strikes.

And we thought we had a deal. But then they backed out and they came back and we thought we had a deal and they backed out. I said, you can’t deal with these people. You got to do it the right way.

Updated at

12.10 EST

9m ago

14.25 EST

The top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee –Mark Warner – said that Donald Trump “has ordered military strikes against seven nations since the beginning of his second term” in a post on X. Despite campaigning on a platform to no longer implicate the US in foreign conflicts, Donald Trump’s administration has launched strikes on several countries since he returned to the White House last year, including Iran, Venezuela, Somalia and Yemen.

“Is he still claiming to be the president of peace?” Warner wrote. The Virginia lawmaker is one of the eight members of Congress set to receive a briefing on Operation Epic Fury from top administration officials at 4pm ET.

50m ago

13.45 EST

'Killing terrorists is good for America': White House says 49 senior Iranian leaders killed in Operation Epic Fury

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “49 of the most senior Iranian regime leaders” have been killed during the Operation Epic Fury so far. This includes supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

“Preventing this radical regime and its terrorist leaders from threatening America and our core national security interests is a clear-eyed and necessary objective,” she wrote in a post on X.

1h ago

13.28 EST

Lucy Campbell

Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte on Monday praised US and Israeli military action against Iran, saying it was degrading Tehran’s ability to get its hands on nuclear and ballistic missile capability, but he said Nato itself would not be involved.

“It’s really important what the US is doing here, together with Israel, because it is taking out, degrading the capacity of Iran to get its hands on nuclear capability, the ballistic missile capability,” he told Germany’s ARD television in Brussels.

“There are absolutely no plans whatever for Nato to get dragged into this or being part of it, other than individual allies doing what they can to enable what the Americans are doing together with Israel,” he added. Rutte offered similar praise about the operation during a Fox News interview today too.

13.16 EST

Earlier, when Donald Trump addressed reporters for the first time since the US launched a coordinated attack with Israel against Iran, notably he did not urge Iranians to rise up against the government as he’s previously done in recent weeks.

Despite calling out the Iranian regime routinely, Pete Hegseth said that Operation Epic Fury is “not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change”.

Trump also underscored that the main objectives of the US attack are about destroying Iran’s military capabilities, from missiles to the country’s navy, and ultimately preventing them from developing nuclear weapons.

2h ago

12.53 EST

Haroon Siddique

Haroon Siddique

There was consensus among legal experts the Guardian spoke to that the initial US-Israel strikes against Iran were unlawful.

The Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the fact that Iran was “planning a bomb” was enough to justify the attacks. Under article 51 of the UN charter there is a right to self-defence in response to an armed attack. A broader interpretation of international law has been hat a state has a right to use force in response to an “imminent threat”.

Susan Breau, a professor of international law and a senior associate research fellow at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, said: “Even the doctrine of imminent [threat of] use of force is very controversial. Academics are divided on what it actually means. But in this case, there doesn’t seem to be any evidence of an imminent threat by Iran.”

Several experts cited Donald Trump’s claim to have obliterated Iran’s nuclear programme last year as evidence that directly countered the suggestion of an imminent threat.

Herzog highlighted Iran’s threats to “annihilate” Israel, but Victor Kattan, an assistant professor of public international law at the University of Nottingham, said: “Having blood-curdling rhetoric or threatening violence in and of itself does not give a state the right to use pre-emptive force.”

2h ago

12.38 EST

George Chidi

George Chidi

At the Third Way conference in Charleston, South Carolina - a meeting of political activists looking to improve Democratic party appeal to moderate voters - attendees are coming to terms with the attack on Iran and how to talk about it.

Michigan’s state legislative delegation sent several members to the conference.

“I would say that I’m not mourning the regime in Iran. The Ayatollah is a maniac,” said Joey Andrews, a Michigan state representative. “These guys just got done slaughtering, 30000 peaceful protesters. But as someone whose formative years in high school and college were during the Iraq war, I’ve got a real reflex that this wasn’t thought out or frankly legal.”

The attack goes against promises Donald Trump made as a candidate in 2024, said Jennifer Conlin, also a Michigan state representative.

“Trump’s said he would not do any kind of regime change when he was at rallies all over the country when he was running for president, and this is truly a violation of everything he said he was going to do,” she said.

State representative Mai Xiong of Michigan said the attack distracts from the pressing concerns of her constituents.

“I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and so I’m thinking about all of the people that are impacted by this conflict,” Xiong said. “There’s a conflict going on there and there are people being displaced, and I’m concerned because we have an immigration crisis in our own country, and we are going into another country, bombing this country, and leaving people in ruins.”

She went on: “I’m really worried about the family members, the children that were killed in the most recent event. ... When we have people here in our country, who are struggling with affording healthcare, groceries, we are more concerned about what is happening in another country, and I just think that’s wrong, we really need to take care of our people here in America first.”

2h ago

12.34 EST

Trump recognized three US Army soldiers with the Medal of Honor, with two of the commendations being awarded posthumously.

2h ago

12.10 EST

Trump is now talking about the military personnel being honoured at this medal ceremony. I’ll let you know if he brings up Iran again.

Updated at

12.11 EST

2h ago

12.07 EST

Trump says the country grieves for the four US serviceman who were killed in action, and thanks US service people.

He also briefly segues into a ramble about how much he loves the gold drapes in the East Room and his wife’s feelings about his White House ballroom renovations.

Updated at

12.08 EST

3h ago

12.02 EST

Trump says US's mission in Iran 'substantially ahead'

Trump says the US is already “substantially ahead” of its time projections.

He says they projected four-five weeks at the beginning, but adds they have “capability to go far longer”.

He adds that the US had predicted four weeks to terminate Iran’s military leadership, “and … that was done in about an hour, so we’re ahead of schedule there, by a lot.”

Updated at

12.06 EST

3h ago

12.00 EST

Trump details US objectives in Iran

Trump claims the objectives of the operation in Iran are “clear”.

They include “destroying Iran’s missile capabilities” and “annihilating their navy”, as well as preventing them from ever having nuclear weapons.

He adds that the country “cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside their borders”.

Trump then goes on to cite the apparent lack of progress in diplomatic negotiations as further justification for the strikes.

And we thought we had a deal. But then they backed out and they came back and we thought we had a deal and they backed out. I said, you can’t deal with these people. You got to do it the right way.

Updated at

12.10 EST

3h ago

11.58 EST

Iran with nuclear weapons would be an 'intolerable threat' to Middle East and US

Trump goes on:

An Iranian regime armed with long range missiles and nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat to the Middle East, but also to the American people.

Our country itself would be under threat, and it was very nearly under threat.

3h ago

11.57 EST

“The purpose of [Iran’s] fast growing missile program was to shield their nuclear weapon development and make it extraordinarily difficult for anyone to stop them from making these highly forbidden, by us, nuclear weapons,” Trump says.

We were the ones that were complaining. We were the ones that wanted it stop. But everybody was behind us. They just didn’t have the courage to say so.

See earlier dispatches here

ATTACHMENT “J” – FROM GUK

MIDDLE EAST CRISIS LIVE

US-Israel war on Iran

Middle East crisis live: US submarine sank Iranian warship, Hegseth says; Israel launches fresh strikes on Tehran

More than 80 people killed and 32 crew members rescued alive from the 180-crew frigate Iris Dena

Analysis: Trump administration still not settled on reasons for war

Tell us: how have you been affected by the conflict?

LIVE Updated 8m ago

31m ago

US citizens urged to leave Iraq as soon as possible, state department says

55m ago

Reports claim that Kurdish Iranian militias have launched a ground offensive in north-western Iran

2h ago

All scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 7 March, says airline

2h ago

'We're doing very well on the war front,' Donald Trump says

3h ago

White House spokesperson refuses to rule out US boots on the ground but says 'they're not part of the plan'

3h ago

Spain 'has agreed to cooperate' with US after Trump ire, says White House

4h ago

White House pushes back against questions on US involvement in Iran school bombing

5h ago

Today so far

5h ago

Cost of living fears rise in UK as oil and gas prices spike with Iran conflict

5h ago

Was it legal for the US to sink an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean?

6h ago

From petrol to groceries: how Middle East crisis is driving up prices

6h ago

Iranian president tells neighbouring countries that Iran respects their sovereignty

8h ago

Israeli air force says it has dropped 5,000 bombs on Iran in current military campaign

8h ago

At least 80 people killed after US submarine torpedoes Iran warship, officials say

8h ago

Key points from Pentagon briefing

8h ago

China and Russia are ‘non-factors’ in Iran war, says Hegseth

9h ago

Hegseth: Iran cannot outlast us

9h ago

Hegseth says Iran can no longer shoot volume of missiles as before

9h ago

US is investigating deadly strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh school girls school in southern Iran, Hegseth says

9h ago

US has 'effectively neutralised' Iran's naval presence, Caine says

9h ago

Hegseth: We have only just begun to fight

9h ago

Person charged with attempted assassination of Trump killed, Hegseth said

9h ago

Hegseth confirms sinking of Iranian warship

9h ago

Rules of engagement designed to "unleash American power", Hegseth says.

9h ago

Hegseth: US and Israel will have 'complete' control of Iranian skies in 'under a week'

9h ago

Summary of developments so far

10h ago

'America is winning' in Iran conflict, Hegseth says

10h ago

IDF launch fresh attacks in southern Lebanon as people urged to flee north

10h ago

Nato condemns Iran's targeting of Turkey

10h ago

Iran death toll reaches 1,045, officials say

11h ago

Nearly 150 missing after Iranian warship sinks near Sri Lanka - report

11h ago

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei? The son of late supreme leader Khamenei seen as potential successor

11h ago

Iran state funeral for Khamenei postponed - report

12h ago

UN 'deeply disturbed' by reports of Iran school strike that killed 160 children

12h ago

Donald Trump ‘really does not care’ if Iran play at World Cup 2026

12h ago

Tell us: how have you been affected by the latest events in the Middle East?

12h ago

EU sees no immediate effect of Iran conflict on gas supply security - report

13h ago

Hezbollah says it targeted Israel's major aerospace and aviation company

13h ago

Iran close to choosing new supreme leader - report

13h ago

Senior Khamenei aide says Iran won’t negotiate with US

14h ago

Trump 'betrayed diplomacy and Americans who elected him', says Iran foreign minister

14h ago

IDF says Israeli F-35 fighter jet shot down manned Iranian warplane in Tehran

14h ago

Spain's position is 'no to war', says Sanchez

14h ago

Israel-US strikes on Iran appear ‘inconsistent with international law’, says Canadian PM

14h ago

Summary of developments so far

15h ago

Loud explosion in Tehran - report

15h ago

Dozens rescued from sinking Iranian warship near Sri Lanka

15h ago

Israel threatens to assassinate Ali Khamenei's replacement

16h ago

Iran Guards say launched more than 40 missiles at US, Israeli targets

16h ago

Iranians to bid farewell to late Supreme Leader Khamenei in Tehran

17h ago

UK government charter flight for British nationals in Oman

17h ago

Conflicting claims over the strait of Hormuz

18h ago

Global markets roiled by conflict

20h ago

Six killed in Israeli strikes south of Beirut

20h ago

Opening summary

A grab from a video released by the US Department of Defense shows what the Department of Defense says is periscope footage of a US Navy submarine firing on and sinking an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean.

US submarine sinks Iranian warship near coast of Sri Lanka – video

Marina Dunbar (now); Anna Betts, Vivian Ho, Taz Ali and Kate Lamb (earlier)

Wed 4 Mar 2026 17.33 EST

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From 5h ago

13.00 EST

Today so far

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, marking the first US attack on Iranian forces outside of the Middle East. More than 80 people were killed.

In a press briefing at the Pentagon, Hegseth declared that “America is winning” and suggested that in under a week the US and Israel “will have complete control of Iranian skies”. Hegseth said the US is able to continue the military action against Iran “for as long as we need to”, saying Iran “can no longer shoot the volume of missiles they once did”.

Hegseth also said that the leader of the Iranian covert unit that planned to assassinate Trump in 2024 had been killed in the strikes.

Dan Caine, the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, who also spoke at the briefing, said more than 20 Iranian naval vessels have been destroyed, and that the US has “effectively neutralised Iran’s major naval presence”.

Hegseth said that the US is investigating the deadly strike on a girls’ school in Iran that killed a reported 168 people on Saturday, but provided no further detail. “All I can say is that we’re investigating, and that we, of course, never target civilian targets,” Hegseth said.

The US and Israel’s airstrikes against Iran continued, with the Israeli military announcing a “broad wave of strikes” against Tehran’s security forces. In turn, Iran upped its retaliatory strikes against Israel and US targets across the region, with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait all announcing Iranian attacks today.

Lebanon’s health ministry said on Wednesday that Israeli strikes on two towns south of Beirut killed six people and wounded eight. Aramoun and Saadiyat are both towns outside Hezbollah’s traditional strongholds. Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued an “urgent warning” to residents of a large swathe of southern Lebanon urging them to evacuate to the north of the Litani River. At least 30,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon, according to the UN, after heavy Israeli airstrikes.

Clerics in Iran said they were close to choosing a successor to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to state media. It has been widely suggested that his second son, Mojtaba Khamenei, could replace him.

The funeral ceremony for Khamenei that was supposed to take place on Wednesday night in Tehran has been postponed. State media, citing officials, reported that the funeral was delayed to allow time for expanded infrastructure because of “overwhelming demand”. No timeframe was given as to when the funeral would take place.

The death toll in Iran has reached 1,045, according to Iranian officials. Iran’s foundation of martyrs and veteran affairs said the death toll represented the number of bodies that had been identified and prepared for burial, state media reported.

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10m ago

17.32 EST

An Iranian official said the country has not sent any messages to the US, in response to an earlier Axios report, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Axios reported the Iranians had sent messages to the US over the last few days but the US did not respond, citing an American official and a second source.

“No message has been sent from Iran to the US, nor will any response be given to US messages. Iran’s armed forces have prepared themselves for a long war,” the official, who was not named, was quoted as saying by Tasnim.

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Updated at

17.33 EST

31m ago

17.10 EST

US citizens urged to leave Iraq as soon as possible, state department says

The US state department is urging US citizens currently in Iraq to leave the country as soon as possible.

The department’s consular affairs official X account wrote on Wednesday that “US citizens in Iraq are strongly encouraged to depart as soon as they are safely able to do so, and shelter in place until such time as conditions are safe to depart. Have a supply of food, water, medications, and other essential items.”

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Updated at

17.25 EST

55m ago

16.47 EST

Reports claim that Kurdish Iranian militias have launched a ground offensive in north-western Iran

Reports are coming in that Kurdish Iranian militias have launched a ground offensive in north-western Iran.

Israeli news television channel i24News says a US official has confirmed the offensive in Iran. A correspondent for Axios also reported confirmation from a senior American official, and a correspondent for Fox News wrote on X that “thousands” of Iraqi Kurds have launched a ground offensive in Iran according to a US official source.

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Updated at

17.00 EST

1h ago

16.32 EST

Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a potential cross-border military operation in Iran, and the US has asked Iraqi Kurds to support them, Kurdish officials told the Associated Press.

Kurdish party leaders have also discussed the Iran crisis with Trump, according to Iraqi Kurdish officials. One official says Trump has asked them to open the border and back the groups militarily.

The Kurdish groups are widely seen as the most well-organized segment of the fragmented Iranian opposition and are believed to have thousands of trained fighters. Their entry into the war could pose a significant challenge to the embattled authorities in Tehran and could also risk pulling Iraq further into the conflict.

Asked about reports that the Trump administration was considering arming Iranian Kurdish groups, the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, told reporters Wednesday: “None of our objectives are premised on the support or the arming of any particular force. So, what other entities may be doing, we’re aware of, but our objectives aren’t centered on that.”

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Updated at

17.01 EST

1h ago

16.18 EST

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has offered to help other countries in their fight against Iranian drones and missiles.

“I held a meeting to discuss developments in the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region, and we discussed the challenges facing Ukraine and our partners, as well as our potential to contribute to protecting lives and preventing the expansion of war and helping to stabilize global markets,” he wrote on X on Wednesday.

Zelensky said that military and intelligence officials would “present options for assisting the relevant countries and to provide aid in a way that does not weaken our own defense here in Ukraine”.

He added: “Our army has the necessary capabilities for that. And Ukrainian experts will work on the ground, and the teams have already begun coordinating in this regard. And we are ready to contribute to protecting lives, protecting civilians, and supporting real efforts to achieve stability and restore security, including resuming safe navigation in the region.”

Ukraine has much experience fending off drones, as Russia has frequently deployed one-way attack drones, which detonate on impact, since the start of its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a National Security and Defense Council meeting.

View image in fullscreen

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a National Security and Defense Council meeting. Photograph: Ukrinform/Shutterstock

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Updated at

17.11 EST

2h ago

16.01 EST

The state department has said that the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, spoke with Hakan Fidan, the foreign minister of Turkey, on Wednesday about the recent developments in Iran and throughout the Middle East.

“The secretary told the foreign minister that attacks on Turkey’s sovereign territory were unacceptable and pledged full support from the United States,” the press release reads. “Both leaders reiterated the continued strength of the bilateral relationship.”

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Updated at

16.03 EST

2h ago

15.46 EST

All scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 7 March, says airline

Emirates airline has said that all scheduled Emirates flights to and from Dubai remain suspended until 11:59pm UAE time on 7 March, due to airspace closures across the region.

“Emirates continues to operate a limited flight schedule” they said. “We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority on these limited flights. Customers transiting in Dubai will only be accepted for travel if their connecting flight is operating.”

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Updated at

16.04 EST

2h ago

15.34 EST

The Dubai international airport has announced that “most flights remain suspended” and advised people not to come to the airport unless their airline has confirmed their departure time.

“Guests without a confirmed flight may not be able to access the terminals” it said in a statement on social media. “Please contact your airline directly for the latest updates on your flight.”

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Updated at

15.44 EST

2h ago

15.25 EST

'We're doing very well on the war front,' Donald Trump says

Shrai Popat

Shrai Popat

As Donald Trump kicked things off for his roundtable event with tech companies today, he noted that those in the room “probably want to speak about war” rather than energy costs linked to the rapid build-out of datacenters across the country.

“We’re doing very well on the war front,” the president added. “If we didn’t do it first, they would have done it to Israel … If we didn’t hit within two weeks, they would have had a nuclear weapon.”

He added that the ongoing military action against Iran is depleting the regime’s leadership. “Everybody that seems to want to be a leader, they end up dead,” the president said.

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Updated at

15.42 EST

2h ago

15.22 EST

The Israeli military has said that it has launched a new wave of strikes on Tehran.

The Associated Press is reporting that the Israeli military says the strikes on the Iranian capital are targeting “military infrastructure”.

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Updated at

15.35 EST

3h ago

14.57 EST

White House spokesperson refuses to rule out US boots on the ground but says 'they're not part of the plan'

Shrai Popat

Shrai Popat

During today’s White House press briefing, Karoline Leavitt did not rule out the possibility of US troops on the ground in Iran.

“They’re not part of the plan for this operation at this time,” Leavitt said. “But I certainly will never take away military options on behalf of the president of the United States … and he wisely does not do the same for himself.”

She noted that “many leaders in the past” have taken options off the table “without having a full understanding of how things could develop”.

The question mark around American troops on the ground is in stark contrast to Donald Trump’s campaign, which focused on not embroiling the US in foreign conflicts.

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Updated at

15.01 EST

3h ago

14.53 EST

More details have emerged about four of the American service members who were killed in an unmanned aircraft system attack in the Shuaiba port in Kuwait on Sunday, the first known US fatalities since the US and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran on Saturday.

The US Department of Defense identified the US soldiers on Tuesday evening as Capt Cody A Khork, 35; Sgt first class Nicole M Amor, 39; Sgt Declan J Coady, 20; and Sgt first class Noah L Tietjens, 42.

Read about the four US service members here:

‘He was smart and kind and amazing’: four American soldiers killed in Kuwait remembered

Read more

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3h ago

14.52 EST

Donald Trump and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, spoke on Wednesday about US military operations in its conflict with Iran, a source close to Macron told Reuters.

Macron also raised in the call the issue of Lebanon, which has been drawn into the spillover of the crisis, the French source said, according to Reuters.

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Updated at

14.55 EST

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MARCH 4^TH

ATTACHMENT “K” – FROM FOX

IRAN WAR LIVE UPDATES: HEGSETH SAYS US SUBMARINE SANK IRANIAN WARSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS

By Catherine Stoddard and Daniel MillerUpdated March 4, 2026 11:52am PSTWorldFOX Local

The Brief

The United States and Israel struck Iran's capital and other cities in airstrikes on Wednesday. Americans are urged to leave the Middle East.

During an update on the operation Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship, marking the first such attack on an enemy since World War II.

The Pentagon released the names of four of the six service members who were killed in the Iran war.

The United States and Israel hit Iran's capital and other cities in multiple airstrikes on Wednesday, the fifth day of the war with Iran.

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On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the United States is winning its war against Iran "decisively, devastatingly and without mercy," the Associated Press reported.

Watch - US Navy submarine sinks Iranian warship, a first since World War II

RELATED: Iran update: Pentagon identifies first US casualties

Speaking from the Pentagon’s briefing room, Hegseth said more forces, including jet fighters and bombers, will soon arrive in the region. He said that the U.S. "will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed." He also said that a torpedo from a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship on Tuesday night, the first such attack on an enemy since World War II.

According to the AP, the war has killed over 1,000 people in Iran and dozens in Lebanon, while disrupting the supply of the world’s oil and gas, and stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers in the Middle East.

Here are the latest updates from Wednesday.

Senate fails to pass war powers resolution

5:29 p.m. ET: Senate Republicans voted down an effort Wednesday to halt Trump’s war against Iran, demonstrating early support for a conflict that has rapidly spread across the Middle East with no clear U.S. exit strategy.

The legislation, known as a war powers resolution, failed on a 47-53 vote tally. It gave lawmakers an opportunity to demand congressional approval before any further attacks are carried out. The vote forced them to take a stand on a war shaping the fate of U.S. military members, countless other lives and the future of the region.

US is investigating reports that a girls school in Iran was hit in strikes

2:15 p.m. ET: Asked if U.S. strikes hit a girls school in Iran — as officials in the region have suggested — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "Not that we know of."

The Associated Press reported that Leavitt said U.S. defense officials are "investigating this matter" and added that she wanted to say "very strongly, the United States of America does not target civilians, unlike the rouge Iranian regime."

White House says US ground troops in Iran ‘not part of the plan for this operation at this time’

2:00 p.m. ET: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she would not take away military options on behalf of the president by ruling it out, saying that leaders in the past take options off the table "without having a full understanding of how things could develop."

"It’s not part of the current plan, but I’m not going to remove an option for the president that is on the table," Leavitt said.

Trump to attend transfer of soldiers’ remains

1:55 p.m. ET: Trump plans to attend the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base of U.S. troops killed in the Middle East conflict, the White House said Wednesday.

The Pentagon is working to schedule the transfer. The U.S. has said six soldiers were killed.

"These heroes represent the very best among us," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday.

Mexico says 279 citizens evacuated from Middle East

1:25 p.m. ET: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the figure Wednesday, saying that 279 citizens exacuated from the Middle East.

The foreign ministry said on X that most of the evacuees left by land from Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Qatar, and that they left through Egypt, Jordan and Turkey.

More than 70 killed in Lebanon by Israel since Hezbollah joined the war

1:00 p.m. ET: Lebanon’s health ministry said Wednesday that 72 people have been killed and 437 wounded in Israeli strikes since the latest escalation with Hezbollah began three days ago.

More than 83,000 people have been displaced, Social Affairs Minister Haneed Sayed said.

Iran-allied Hezbollah entered the conflict Monday, firing missiles and drones into Israel for the first time in more than a year. Israel has responded with widespread strikes and warned residents to evacuate parts of southern Lebanon.

State Department says it has assisted nearly 6,500 Americans in Mideast

12:50 p.m. ET: The Associated Press reported that the U.S. State Department said Wednesday it has offered them assistance or information about leaving the region.

According to the AP, the department is trying to arrange charter flights and other transportation despite embassy closures and Iranian missile and drone strikes that have shut airports and airspace across the region. It was not immediately clear whether any U.S.-arranged flights have departed.

More than 17,500 Americans have returned to the United States since Saturday, including over 8,500 on Tuesday. Most traveled on commercial flights without government assistance.

Iraq’s World Cup qualifying is impacted by Iran war

12:10 p.m. ET: The Associated Press reported that Iraq’s hopes of World Cup qualification are being impacted by the Iran war because embassy and airspace closures are preventing players from getting visas for the playoff tournament in Mexico.

According to the AP, the Iraqi soccer federation says it’s communicating with FIFA about its match against Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 31.

The federation wrote in a social media post that its coach, Graham Arnold, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates, and several players and staff members are experiencing trouble obtaining visas.

Iraq and the UAE have been floated as potential replacements for Iran’s team — which has already qualified — should the Iranians not participate in the World Cup.

U.S. says Iran is firing fewer ballistic missiles and drones

10:50 a.m. ET: The Associated Press reported that Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the number of ballistic missiles fired by Iran is down by 86% from Saturday, with a 23% drop in missiles fired in the last 24 hours.

"And their one-way-attack drone shots are down 73% from the opening days," Caine said.

But some experts told the AP that Iran may be holding some weapons in reserve to prolong the conflict.

Sinking of Iranian warship was the first by a U.S. torpedo since World War II

10:35 a.m. ET: Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says the U.S. Navy fast-attack submarine used "a single Mark 48 torpedo."

A U.S. official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed to the Associated Press that the Iranian ship was the Dena.

Speaking during a media briefing Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Tuesday night strike on the warship is the first such attack on an enemy since World War II, the Associated Press reported.

"The Iranian navy rests at the bottom of the Persian Gulf," Hegseth said. According to the Associated Press, the Iranian warship sunk by a U.S. submarine was in the Indian Ocean. Hegseth called the strike the first such attack on an enemy since World War II.

Sri Lankan authorities said 32 people were rescued from the ship, which sank off their country’s coast. They said others died, without giving a number, the AP reported.

President Donald Trump said one of the U.S. military’s main objectives is to wipe out Iran’s navy.

U.S. military is helping Americans leave the Middle East

9:22 a.m. ET: Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters Wednesday that "We’ve also opened up space available, seats, as C-17s and other airplanes come in to try to help folks get out," the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says, referring to the large C-17 military transport planes.

The Associated Press reported that Caine offered no details how many Americans are being helped. The U.S. State Department has urged citizens to leave more than a dozen countries.

Hegseth says war with Iran could last 8 weeks

8:55 a.m. ET: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the timeline could go further than previously speculated, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.

"You can say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three," he says. "Ultimately, we set the pace and the tempo."

Hegseth acknowledges that the U.S. can’t fend off all Iranian drone attacks

8:50 a.m. ET: According to the Associated Press, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, "We have pushed every counter-UAS system possible forward, sparing no expense or capability," Hegseth said referencing drones. "Like I said, this does not mean we stop everything."

On Sunday, six American soldiers were killed at an operations center targeted by an Iranian drone strike in the heart of a civilian port in Kuwait.

Hegseth and Caine say U.S. weapons stockpiles remain strong

8:45 a.m. ET: The Associated Press reported that top U.S. military officials say U.S. forces have adequate munitions for ongoing operations against Iran.

Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was speaking to reporters.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth added that the military used more advanced weapons at the start of the campaign but was switching to gravity bombs now that the U.S. has control of Iranian skies, and stockpiles of the advanced weapons remain "extremely strong."

U.S. says more forces are arriving in the Middle East

8:30 a.m. ET: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserts that the U.S. is winning its military operation against Iran "decisively, devastatingly and without mercy."

He says more forces, including jet fighters and bombers will soon arrive in the region. He adds that the U.S. "will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed."

Pentagon giving update on war

8 a.m. ET: The Pentagon is giving an update on Operation Fury on Wednesday.

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the Al Lailaki neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs, with the city's International Airport visible in the background, on March 4, 2026. (Photo by IBRAHIM AMRO / AFP via Getty Images

Expand

A top cleric says Iran is ‘close’ to choosing its next supreme leader

7:45 a.m. ET: The Associated Press reported that Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami is a member of the Assembly of Experts, the body charged with picking a new leader. His comments were aired on state television. "The options have become clear," Khatami said. The AP noted that other top officials have indicated a decision may be close.

US State Department orders non-emergency staff and families in Pakistan’s Lahore and Karachi to leave

1:26 a.m. ET: According to the Associated Press, the U.S. State Department has ordered non-emergency staff and their families working in the consulates in Lahore and Karachi to leave the country due to safety concerns.

Staff at the embassy in the capital Islamabad were not affected by the order, the AP noted.

Pakistan shares a long western border with Iran and has a sizable Shiite Muslim minority. Roughly10 people were killed in Karachi on Sunday after protesters attempted to storm the consulate in the city, Pakistan’s largest.

4 of 6 soldiers killed identified

Dig deeper:

The Pentagon released the names of four of the six service members who were killed in the Iran war, saying they died in a drone strike in Kuwait.

All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed Sunday when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa.

The four soldiers included:

Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of Des Moines, Iowa. Coady was posthumously promoted from specialist.

Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska.

Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida.

The remaining soldiers’ identities who were killed have not been released yet.

Hundreds have died in the US-Israeli strikes

The other side:

The Associated Press reported that the U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people in Iran, citing the Red Crescent Society. Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began.

Kuwait said Wednesday that an 11-year-old girl was killed by falling shrapnel as Kuwaiti forces were intercepting "hostile aerial targets." In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates and one in Bahrain, according to the AP.

US and Israel attack Iran

The backstory:

On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Tehran, and President Donald Trump said the U.S. was starting major combat operations against Iran.

The strikes killed the country’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and several other high ranking officials, throwing its leadership into question and raising the risk of regional instability.

Big picture view:

Trump said there were four objectives for the operations:

Destroy Iran’s missile capabilities

Wipe out its naval capacity

Stop the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon

"Ensure that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders."

This is the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has attacked the Islamic Republic during talks over its nuclear program.

The Source: Information for this story was taken from previous FOX Local reporting and the Associated Press. This story was reported from San Jose, California and Washington, D.C.